SOFTBALL '06: Tight-Knit Bunch Ready to Dominate

The Harvard softball team may seem to have a lot working against it—the departure of three non-seniors, the harsh New England weather, and a schedule that includes only five homestands, only two of which are Ivy contests. But Crimson coach Jenny Allard isn’t worried.

Her advice?

“Deal with it—make it a non-issue.”

The departed players added significant depth to the Harvard bench last season. One of last year’s captains, Kerry Flaherty, had been sidelined due to illness at the end of last year and decided not to rejoin the team this year. Becky Voaklander’s back injury last season was major factor in her departure from the Crimson. Virginia Fritsch—who was Harvard’s leading hitter as a freshman, but missed last year due to a rotator cuff injury—also decided not to return.

But the team has taken Allard’s advice and moved on from the departures. Last year, Harvard faced a host of similar problems. The Crimson was riddled with injuries and faced multiple weather delays. Also, an insufficient number of games, especially early in the season, put the team at a disadvantage against its Ivy foes. Despite the setbacks, Harvard remained in the running for the Ivy title until the last weekend.

“That’s pretty remarkable,” Allard said, “and I think that core group learned those lessons and has carried them into this year—they’re ready and they know what to do.”

In addition to losing four graduating seniors, Harvard lost three other players; as a result, a roster that has been filled with 19 people for the past three years has been pared down to 16. The Crimson has taken this not as a setback, but as an opportunity for other players to step up and fill in the gaps.

“This team is resilient and cohesive,” sophomore pitcher Amanda Watkins says. “Losing our teammates was like losing part of the family we’ve built, but the team has bounced back really well and has done well working together.”

The remaining core group not only has learned lessons from past seasons, but it also has had an easy time getting unified—more than anything, the departures have brought the team together.

“The team chemistry is great,” co-captain Michele McAteer says. “We all get along really well on and off the field.”

Whether the team bonds during practice or in its free time, the result is a group that is more unified than Allard has experienced in years. With such a small group, it’s easier to get the whole team on the same page and focused on the same goal.

“With the seniors we’ve lost and the other departures, what has remained is a great core group heading into this year that, fundamentally, is very easy to work with, motivated, disciplined, everything—it’s just very refreshing to work with them,” Allard says.

The team’s size has not hindered its depth—Harvard has options at every position. The Crimson’s five pitchers all have distinct styles, so the team will be prepared for whatever it faces. Last year, Watkins and Shelly Madick were the two most frequent starters as freshmen. This year, they will both continue in that role, but with a season’s experience. McAteer will return from an injury as a regular presence on the mound.

Behind the plate, there will be two rotating starters. Erin Halpenny will return as catcher. She will share the role with Hayley Bock, a freshman. Sarah Shaughnessy will see more innings behind the plate this season and Jade Reichling, another freshman, will also see time behind the plate.

There’s also plenty of depth at first base. Danielle Kerper, who appeared in every game last year and led the team in RBIs, moved from right field to first base last season and will continue her role there. Bock and Watson can also play the position. Adding to the depth at first will be another freshman, Suzi Cominski.

Anchoring the middle infield will be the team’s other captain, junior Julia Kidder, at second and junior Lauren Brown at shortstop. Brown ended last season with a .290 batting average and a .435 slugging percentage. Adding to the depth in the middle infield will be freshman Bailey Vertovez at short and second and Reichling at second.

Halpenny will spend time at third base when she’s not behind the plate. Senior Rachel Murray, who has suffered some injuries over the past years, will also help out at third.

The outfield will be anchored by Pilar Adams, mainly in right, Suzie Winkeller in left, and Cara Woodard in both center and right. Reichling will contribute at center as well. Watkins, in addition to pitching, has been practicing as an outfielder and will add depth to the right field position.

Harvard’s depth, combined with its enthusiasm to get the season started, has given Allard high hopes for the season. As is evident from the versatility of the players and their flexibility in positions, this team is driven to do whatever it takes to win.

“One of the things this team has done that is remarkable and is typically a characteristic of a championship team is that they are very singularly focused and they know what they need to do and are not letting little things get in their way,” Allard says. “I’ve seen this type of focus very few times in my 11 years of coaching.”

—Staff writer Elyse N. Hanson can be reached at ehanson@fas.harvard.edu.