Batswomen Hope For Brown Tourney Crown

The Harvard women's softball team travels to Providence, R.I. today, gearing up for this weekend's Brown Tournament.

In Ivy competition, the Crimson have had limited success, splitting with Pennsylvania and dropping two to Princeton. Having completed its Ivy League schedule, the Tigers have already clinched the title for this 1991 season with a 7-1 mark in the conference.

But play has not ended, and Harvard will try to nab the tournament championship against non-league foes.

Providence, a team which the Crimson defeated twice in a twin-bill at the Friar's home field earlier this season, is Harvard's opponent this afternoon. The Crimson (10-11-1 overall) will have to play a sharp game to complete the three-peat over this perennially strong Providence squad.

Pitching is always a key to winning in softball, and the Crimson are blessed with two fine hurlers this season. Sophomore Christine Carr and junior Julie Fromholz platoon on the mound for Harvard and are both finding success thus far.

Carr is coming off her first no-hitter in a Harvard uniform, a 17-0 defeat of Dartmouth Saturday, and her earned-run-average is a paltry 1.77 per game.

The Crimson will have to bring their bats if they hope to return to Cambridge with a number of W's. Leading the way will be senior Beth Reilly, sporting a hefty .433 batting average, with 29 hits already this season. The Co-Captain leads the team with nine runs-batted-in as well.

Junior Liz Resnick and freshman Christine Vogt also have put some nice numbers up, carrying .352 and .333 averages, respectively. The Crimson boasts a fairly high .293 team average and must continue its hard-hitting ways this weekend.

Harvard will take the field twice at Brown University on Saturday and twice on Sunday, facing St. John's University, Brown, Hartford and Fairfield. These teams will offer the Crimson formidable competition--a change from its last pair of games against Dartmouth's club squad, which it handily dismissed, 17-0 and 17-3.

Harvard centerfielder Katie Fitta and Assistant Coach Kathy Silva should feel at home at Brown. Fitta grew up in neighboring Barrington, R.I. and Silva was a standout catcher for the Bruins. Silva was the Ivy League's Player of the Year in 1990.