Softballers to Face Quakers, Bulldogs

The Harvard softball team plays two double-headers this weekend at Soldiers Field--hosting Pennsylvania on Saturday and Yale on Sunday.

The Crimson (10-16 overall, 2-2 Ivy League), coming off a double-header split against Boston College on Thursday, is looking to continue its two-game Ivy-League winning streak and move up from third place in the Ancient Eight.

"Our attitude is totally positive after our Boston College games," captain Nancy Johnson said. "We have a real shot at winning these games.

The Quakers, who came into the weekend 2-4 in the Ivies, are led offensively by senior outfielder Hilary Stamos.

The Pennsylvania pitching staff features two hurlers, Vicki Moore and Lanie Moore, boasting earned-run average under two.

"Penn has been mediocre in the past," Johnson said. "But they're playing better this year."

The Elis (4-2 Ivy League) took over sole posession of second place in the ivies behind Princeton (8-0) last weekend.

The Yale squad won the Ivy League championship last year and has a good crop of young talent.

"Yale is usually very solid," junior Danielle Belanger said. "They're not as good as they were last year, but they're still tough."

The Crimson's probable starters over the weekend are juniors Elizabeth Walker and Jana Meader and freshman Rachel Salzman.

The Crimson will call on senior Nicole Desharnais to jumpstart a recently dormant offense and produce runs.

"We've been getting hits," Belanger said. "But we've just not been putting them together."

Neither opponent poses an insurmountable obstacle to the Crimson, and optimism runs strong through the Harvard squad.

"On any given day we can beat any team," Belanger said.

Translating that optimism into on-the-field results will be the goal of Harvard's softball team this weekend.