It Could Go All The Way

“Just see it, hit it,” sophomore Lauren Murphy said of her batting tricks last season.

Yet, according to modern science, it is actually impossible for a batter to trace the ball with her eyes when the ball gets close to home plate. So, should we trust a scientist, or a first-hand expert?

If anyone has the credibility to speak on the matter, then Lauren Murphy is certainly that person. Known as just “Murph” to her teammates and coach, Murphy had an extraordinarily impressive season last year in her Crimson debut.

The Sierra Madre, Calif. native captured the 2007 Ivy League Rookie of the Year award and was also named to the All-Ivy First Team. On her way to earning those accolades, Murphy first set a Crimson record for most home runs in a single season (14) and proceeded to belt four more over the fence, setting an Ivy League record (18).

Murphy ended her rookie season ranked third in the nation in home runs per game (.39). Batting cleanup, Murphy also led the Crimson in RBI with 47, over twice as many as Danielle Kerper, who had the next highest on the team with 23.

“She can hit,” head coach Jenny Allard says. “She has fast hands and she’s strong. And she’s aggressive.”

“You don’t have to be a hitter­—as a pitcher you can see that,” captain Shelly Madick agrees. “She gets to the ball really quickly.”

Murphy broke two other previous league bests last spring. During a come-from-behind win over Boston College, she knocked three out of the park and collected 15 bases—both single-game records. That day, it wasn’t the records that mattered most, as the runs were crucial in propelling Harvard past the Eagles in a 12-9 victory. The win was the eighth in a season-high nine-game winning streak. With three records in her first collegiate softball season, what is expected of the power hitter in 2008?

“She had a monster season last year and that is more than anyone could ask of anybody to do for all four years,” Madick says. “As long as she stays in her confidence and doesn’t think too much, I think she’ll have a great season again.”

Avoiding a sophomore slump may be more difficult than simply staying in her rhythm. Opposing teams will certainly be keyed in on Murphy. In a four-game series against Dartmouth at the end of last season, the Big Green gave “Murph” a free pass in eight at-bats. It’s hard to blame them, though—when they did pitch to her, Murphy connected for a grand slam.

With that kind of power behind her bat, it is likely that the base-on-balls trend will continue this season.

“People are going to stay away from her power,” Allard says. “She’s going to have to get the base hits and the doubles that she’s capable of getting. She has to move away from an all-or-nothing mentality—either I hit it over the fence or I strike out.”

While it might be more difficult for Murphy to stack up the home runs, that certainly won’t diminish her role on the team.

“We’re not going to say ‘You hit 18 home runs last year, so you need to hit 20 this year’,”Allard says. “To be honest, Lauren should hit more for average this year and draw more walks.”

The rising star will look to improve on last season’s .805 slugging percentage and .350 batting average­—both of which were good enough for the best on the team.

“We’re working with her more on being a strong contact hitter,” Allard says. “more line drives, more hard ground balls, more base hits, draw more walks, develop her eye more, reinvent her swing a little bit.”

As Murphy works on her offensive game, Harvard strives to defend its title. If last season is any indicator, the two outcomes are closely connected.

“Her impact has affected the team in a number of ways,” said former captain Julia Kidder ’07 during the 2007 season. “For one, it’s increased our winning percentage.”