Whitton Leads Crimson Youth Movement

Three important departures have left the Crimson battery light on experience.

Behind the plate, the absence of Monica Montijo ’03-’04 puts the catching burden squarely on the shoulders of two underslassmen.

Sophomore Laura Miller is the more experienced of the two backstops. Platooning with Miller will be freshman Erin Halpenny.

“I consider them both starting catchers,” says Harvard coach Jenny Allard. “Usually I don’t want just one catcher, unless we’re put in a situation where we have to have that. We want them to split games and develop.”

Allard appears to be bringing the freshman along slowly. This season, Miller has seen the bulk of the action, appearing in 17 games to Halpenny’s eight.

Miller started 34 games for the Crimson in 2002, and provides a consistent offensive spark for the team. She is currently third on the team with a .341 batting average.

Halpenny impresses with her technical ability behind the plate and is developing a feel for hitting on the college level.

“Erin is a great blocking catcher, she has a terrific arm, and I think she calls a great game,” Allard says.

Receiving those signs on the mound are four pitchers with three combined years of college experience.

Since senior Suzanne Guy left the team and tri-captain Tiffany Whitton chose to focus on hitting and defense, the staff veteran is junior tri-captain Kara Brotemarkle.

Last season, Brotemarkle was named to the Second Team All-Ivy list for her 11-7 record and 107 strikeouts. Over her two years at Harvard, Brotemarkle’s ERA is a low 2.06, which would be good enough for third on Harvard’s all-time list.

“She’s the ace,” says Allard. “She’s been our go-to pitcher because of her experience.”

This spring, Brotemarkle has been able to hold regional opponents in check, working deep into games against Drexel, Holy Cross, and Boston University. The losses in her 2-6 record have come against tougher teams in the Crimson’s trips to the South.

The only other Crimson pitcher in the rotation with college experience is sophomore Lauren Tanner. Her classmate, Lauren Bettinelli, will also take to the mound this year, but has not pitched at Harvard. Freshmen Michele McAteer (pictured below left) rounds out the rotation.

Tanner throws hard and relies on natural movement to make batters miss. Last season, she showed her big-game chops by holding Columbia to two hits in four innings at the ECAC Championships.

Bettinelli, according to Allard, looked for a chance to pitch this year and worked on her motion during the fall.

“Lauren throws a little bit of everything,” says Brotemarkle. “She changes speeds well and has a ton of movement on the ball.”

Allard has given McAteer abundant opportunity to get her feet wet on the college level. The freshman has responded well in the 11 games that she has pitched in, compiling a 2-4 record and 4.23 ERA.

“I’m a downball pitcher,” says McAtter. “I try to throw a dropball to keep batters off-balance.”

It remains to be seen whether sophomore Beth Sabin will return from a back injury to take to the mound in a closer/reliever role.

Despite appearances, though, the Crimson’s rotation stacks up well in the seniority category when compared to most other Ivy teams.

The recent trend toward younger pitchers has not been seen at Harvard since the 2000 season. That year, Chelsea Thoke ’01 was the pitching leader as a junior. In 2001, Thoke was an impressive senior, and last year, Suzanne Guy and Tiffany Whitton anchored an experienced staff.

ANGELS IN THE Outfield

The Crimson outfield returns two experienced players in center and left, leaving right field to be filled by sophomore Beth Sabin and freshman Kerry Flaherty.

In left, sophomore Lauren Stefanchik brings incredible speed and a solid arm. At the plate, the all-time high school stolen base leader is a dangerous lead-off threat who can help the Crimson manufacture runs by playing small ball and moving runners over.

Junior Kim Koral (pictured above) is patrolling center for the third year. Koral can cover a lot of ground with her speed, and is a slapper at the plate.

The tandem of Sabin and Flaherty in right field fills the third outfield spot. Though the hitting tear that marked Sabin’s early performance this year has cooled, she still is second on the team with 13 RBI. Freshman Cara Woodard will likely also see time in right to spell Flaherty and Sabin.

AROUND THE HORN

Harvard’s infield boasts the team’s most depth and experience.

Tri-captain Tiffany Whitton leads the diamond from first base. Juniors Rachel Goldberg and Sara Williamson will start up the middle for the Crimson, as shortstop and second base, respectively. At third base, junior tri-captain Louisa Canham will platoon with freshman Rachel Murray (pictured below right).

Tiffany is Harvard’s best player and the team’s leader as the only senior. Her .457 batting average topped the Ivies last season, and was sixth in the nation. Her career batting average (.415) puts her in second place on the Crimson’s all-time list. As the defending Ivy League Player of the Year and a Regional All-American, she is likely the most feared hitter in the league.

“The biggest compliment that I can give Tiffany is that she sets a tone,” Allard says. “She provides leadership, she provides somebody that can step up, and somebody that everyone can be confident in.”

At second, Williamson provides a consistent bat and solid defense. She has been named to an All-Ivy team in both campaigns with Harvard.

At short, Goldberg provides a rocket arm and switched up batting stance to provide some pop in the line-up.

The departure of junior Breanne Cooley has produced a hole at third base that will be filled by the team of Canham and Murray.

To spell the starting infielders, Bettinelli will see time at second as well as the mound.

Juniors Lauren McAuliffe and Pam Kiely will serve as utility players in the infield or outfield.

A pair of young hitters, sophomore Cecily Gordon and freshman Pilar Adams, have shared duties as the designated player.

—Staff writer Robert A. Cacace can be reached at cacace@fas.harvard.edu.