SOFTBALL '07: Deep Staff Should Bring Good Results

The primary strength of Harvard’s pitching this season is depth. With returning regular starters and promising Ivy League rookies, the five-arm staff will be tough to beat.

“The strength is that there is a staff and that there is depth and we basically don’t have to ride one person’s arm,” coach Jenny Allard says. “They can pick each other up.”

The Crimson ended last season with a 3.01 combined ERA, anchored by juniors Shelly Madick (2.53) and Amanda Watkins (2.77). With 18 starts each, Madick and Watkins together accounted for 15 of Harvard’s 20 wins in 2006. The other five wins were credited to sophomore Bailey Vertovez (3.40), who doubles as a right fielder.

Adding to the staff this year are freshmen Dana Roberts and Margaux Black. Both are expected to contribute many outings.

With two game starts behind her, Roberts holds a 3.06 ERA and 1-2 record. Stepping up in the Eller Media Center Tournament in Las Vegas on March 11, she ended an eight-run Miami rally, pitching a scoreless 4 1/3 innings to close out the game.

While Black has only pitched one inning so far this season, she has the potential to develop into a key utility player. In addition to seeing time on the mound, Black will spend some innings at short and first.

“[Black] is a tremendous athlete,” Allard says. “She is going to be a good all-around player for us.”

Back when they were freshmen in 2005, Madick and Watkins started the majority of the Crimson’s games. They continued to see consistent playing time last season and can expect the same for 2007. With a lot of Ivy League innings under their belts, the experience of the junior pitchers brings confidence to the staff.

The tournament games so far this season revealed promising abilities of each pitcher.

“Veterans and freshmen alike have already shown their capabilities against very tough competition,” Watkins says, “and we are excited to show off that talent during league play.”

As an up-ball pitcher, Madick throws off her opponents with effective, off-speed changeups.

“[Shelly] has a tremendous rise ball,” Allard says. “She gets people to swing out of the zone.”

Vertovez, like Madick, also uses a rise ball pitch. Against St. Joseph’s on March 4, Vertovez threw for a no-hitter in her debut performance and currently holds a 1-1 record.

Watkins, on the other hand, throws down, employing both the inside and outside drop.

In the tournaments, the staff worked as a unit, and the five pitchers balanced each other well. When not starting, each pitcher served as an effective reliever and closer.

“Our strength is that we support each other through our weaknesses,” Madick says. “Where one pitcher struggles, another excels.”

The balance and combined effort of the pitchers is crucial for a successful season.

“This year, more than any other, I have felt that the pitchers have come together to serve the team the best that it can,” Watkins says. “Our goal as a pitching staff is to be effective and win, regardless of how that gets done.”

Teamwork and a variety of pitching styles will come in handy this season facing Cornell. Both Madick and Watkins agree that Big Red is one of the toughest lineups they’ve faced in past years.

“[Cornell’s] swings are a little unconventional,” Madick says, “so traditionally effective pitches, like a down-and-away pitch, are usually their bread and butter.”

Even with the Big Red’s unique challenging style, the Crimson feels confident about its ability to face tough teams.

The four main starters—Madick, Roberts, Vertovez and Watkins—bring depth in their ability and strength in their numbers. Since the new Ivy League schedule has teams playing each other for up to four games in one weekend, the more pitchers, the better.

“If you are only relying on two pitchers, they are going to know those pitchers inside and out,” Allard says. “The true strength is being able to throw a lot of different pitchers at them and throw them off.”

Fortunately, with a strong artillery of four true starters and a developing freshman, the depth of the Crimson’s pitching staff may be the team’s greatest advantage this season.