Softball Leads Off New Season With California Road Trip

The Harvard softball season began this weekend despite threats of a blizzard that would cripple the Boston area. Of course, the Crimson was competing in sunny California at the Worth Invitational, hosted by Cal State-Fullerton.

Harvard went into the weekend expecting excellent competition, and got all that it bargained for. The Crimson lost all four of its games, but returned a stronger team, having taken positive steps in the process.

"We knew going out there that it would be hard to even get one game," said sophomore co-captain Grace Bloodwell. "The games were really meant to teach us about our strengths and what we needed to work on. Progress was made."

The weekend started against Pacific University, a top 30 program. Although the Crimson lost, 4-0, the game was close much of the time, with the Tigers' first run coming off a wild pitch by sophomore Tiffany Whitton. Other than that misstep, Whitton performed well, going five strong innings, scattering three hits, and no earned runs.

The Crimson next took on the University of New Mexico, another team ranked in the top 30. The Lobos proved a tougher challenge than the Tigers, and beat Harvard 9-0. After a few walks to begin the first inning, UNM's Michelle Carter knocked a grand slam off of freshman Kara Brotemarkle.

Absent that big hit, the Crimson played strongly. Senior ace Chelsea Thoke made her first appearance of the season in relief of Brotemarkle in the second. Thoke pitched four innings and gave up three runs.

"Freshmen are at a distinct disadvantage pitching against these teams," Thoke said. "The mound is different from high school. These girls (the Lobos) are good, and Kara showed heart, and got an out right after the slam."

Harvard began Sunday against the No. 4 team in the nation, California-Berkeley. The Golden Bears were already 19-0, and dealt the Crimson a 7-0 loss.

Again, however, the Crimson showed heart and kept things close. Whitton again started on the mound, and managed to hold Berkeley to two runs over four innings.

More importantly, the Crimson played mistake-free ball during that period. The runs came on solid hits, rather than from walks or errors.

"We wanted to make them beat us," said freshman Breanne Cooley. "Our goal was to not leave it up to errors and make things easier for them. We knew they were going to hit the ball, but we needed to try to limit their chances."

Cooley led the large freshmen coalition, starting four games at first base and sparking a small rally against the Golden Bears.

In the third inning against the Golden Bears, Cooley knocked a single between third and short. She made it to second on a fielder's choice, and moved to third on a Whitton single. Berkely was able to get out of the inning without allowing Cooley to cross the plate.

"At one point, everyone in the infield was a freshmen except the catcher [co-captain Mairead McKendry]," Cooley said. "But there's not any separation between classes, there's a bunch of team chemistry."

In the fifth, Harvard's mental game broke down, and the Crimson committed three errors, leading to five runs for Berkeley.

Sophomore catcher Monica Montijo suffered a massive injury in that inning during a collision at the plate. A Golden Bear slid into home, catching Montijo's thigh with her cleats. The gash on her thigh required 300 stitches, and was enough to upset the Crimson's focus.

Harvard was beaten by No. 10 Cal State-Fullerton in the last game of the weekend. The Titans were carried by sophomore Jenny Topping, who drove in three runs on the day.

Thoke relieved Whitton in the fourth after Topping had smashed a home run. Topping struck again with an RBI triple in the fifth, and reached home on an error. Thoke was very effective against of the rest of the team, walking two, allowing only two hits, and striking out five.

"[Topping] is one of the best hitters in the country," Thoke said. "We went right at her, because our pitching was really on. She played well."

Harvard's defense continued its strong play in the field against the Titans. Junior Lisa Watanabe made two highlight-reel catches in the outfield against the Titans, at one point diving head first into foul territory to record an out.

The Crimson, in the end, showed that it could handle tough competition, and looks forward to proving itself against Drexel in two weeks.

"We showed teams that we came to play, and that we can play," McKendry said. "We'll be ready for Ivy competition."