On Eve of Ivy Tournament Batwomen Hopeful but Cautious

The Harvard women's softball team journeys to Princeton for the Ivy League championship tournament this weekend, where it will face some of its toughest competition this year.

The Crimson enters the two-day tournament with a 6-2 record. While perceived front runners Princeton (5-10) and Brown (7-7) have posted records no better than .500, Harvard Coach John Wentzell is quick to point out that this is no indication of how the team will do.

"We haven't seen these teams during the year, Brown, Princeton and Penn, but on paper they would have to be favored over us," Wentzell says.

Harvard's Ivy competitors have seen fierce competition. The Crimson has not played as many games either, and this lack of experience may hurt the Cantabs' title hopes.

Harvard's Ivy title hopes rest precariously on the pitching abilities of freshman Gerri Rubin. The young fastballer has had an impressive season, pitching in all six wins. "Pitching is key in such a tournament [three games each on Saturday and Sunday]," Wentzell says. "We hope Gerri can pitch two games a day for us. "We're expecting her to win the tough ones."

Rubin will be backed up by a defense that has been constantly improving over the season, despite still unmet expectations. Led by the strong arm of freshman catcher Chris Lahey and the fielding of Landya Boyer, the Crimson defense has stumbled only twice in eight games, making key fielding plays in the other six victories.

But defensive strength will also help boost Rubin's pitching for the Crimson Comments Wentzell. "A lot of it [the title hopes] rests on Gerri's shoulders and on our defense. If we are making good plays it really pumps her [Rubin] up."

The Harvard bats might not find it as easy as their gloves.

The Crimson will be facing pitchers that throw fire. Last year not only Harvard found this to be true, but so did the rest of the league. Brown went 6-0 behind ace pitcher Tracey Dickerman who threw every game.

Unfortunately for the other teams, Dickerman did not graduate or decide to take a year off. Thus it falls on the shoulders of sluggers Boyer, Ann Wilson, and Co-captain Pat Horne to make her wish she had.

To do this, Harvard will need the timely hits that were so elusive in its two earlier defeats.

So, the Crimson is entering the tournament on somewhat shaky footing, but one that Wentzell thinks might be steady enough. He says, "I never thought we would have had that kind of record going down there. On a given day I think we can beat them."