Softball Travels to NH for Crucial Ivy Games

Ever since splitting doubleheaders with both Columbia and Cornell two weekends ago, every Ivy League match-up for the Harvard softball team has been labeled a must-win contest. However, the squad's doubleheader on Saturday at Dartmouth's Sachem Field truly rises to the level of do-or-die.

The Crimson (19-18, 9-3 Ivy) and the Big Green (17-15, 9-3 Ivy) are tied for second place in the Ivies, each trailing league-leading Cornell by two wins. A sweep by either team would result in a playoff game for the Ivy title between the victor and the Big Red (30-14, 11-3 Ivy), while a split would give the crown Harvard claimed last year to Cornell outright.

Entering the weekend, Harvard is riding a five-game win streak, which has included crucial Ivy doubleheader sweeps over Brown and Yale. The Crimson followed those wins with a 5-4 victory over Boston University in which freshman shortstop Sara Williamson's walk-off double plated freshman Kim Koral to give Harvard the victory.

Current Ivy League Rookie of the Week Breanne Cooley will lead Harvard on its trip north. The freshman, who went 12-for-18 last week against Massachusetts, Brown, and Yale, also hit a home run, drove in two runs, and scored three times during the stretch.

Sophomore Tiffany Whitton, who will likely start the second game against Dartmouth, also had a strong week for the Crimson from both the plate and the mound to make the Ivy League honor roll. Offensively, she has batted .522 over the past seven games, including a 6-for-12 performance against Brown and Yale. Whitton also crushed a home run and a double to give her six RBI to go along with her four runs scored in the three doubleheaders. As prolific as she was in those contests with the bat, though, Whitton was just as stingy pitching, allowing only two earned runs and 13 hits in 9.1 innings.

Of course, reigning Crimson Athlete of the Week Chelsea Thoke will also be key to the Crimson's chances at the Ivy title. Normally a dominating hurler, the two-time All-Ivy selection and 1999 Ivy League Player of the Year has been moonlighting as a power hitter of late, crushing two home runs over the weekend. The senior pitcher will likely start Saturday's first game, but has probably earned a place in the lineup for the second contest, as well, based on her recent power surge.

"Everybody on the team is really excited for her," said freshman outfielder Pam Kiely.

On the other side of the diamond, Dartmouth comes into this weekend sporting a 4-2 home record this season and a 14-2 mark over the past two years. The Big Green split a doubleheader against Vermont on Tuesday after splitting one with Yale and then sweeping another against Brown over the weekend. This performance last week helped Dartmouth set team records for Ivy League wins and doubleheader sweeps.

Dartmouth junior outfielder Cherie Comeau leads the Big Green offensively coming into Saturday. She had an impressive all-around batting performance last weekend, hitting .416 while contributing a walk, a double, a triple, two sacrifices, and six RBI, including the game-winner in the first contest against Brown. Comeau also scored two runs, including the game-winner in the Big Green's second match-up against the Bears.

Overall, Harvard is taking a winning attitude north to Hanover, with the players trying to relax and play the way they know they can.

"I'm confident in our defense holding up," said freshman infielder Lisa Feigenbaum. "It's really going to come down to our hitting. Once we get our hands going, though, we're strong all through the lineup. We've just got to get the rally going and then continue pushing runs each inning."

If the Crimson can do that, it will earn a rubber match in its season series with Cornell, which is currently tied 1-1.