Athlete Of The Week: Roberts Shuts Down Bulldogs

After the third matchup of the four game Harvard-Yale series this weekend, thanks was due to freshman pitcher Dana Roberts for giving the Bulldogs a late Easter gift: a nice goose egg on the scoreboard.

Roberts is probably used to being so generous with her fastball. It was her second straight shutout this week, which she earned with four strikeouts in seven innings while only allowing five hits from Yale batters.

The Crimson’s 1-0 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday was understandably characterized by staunch defense and clean pitching, while the 12-0 pummeling of Holy Cross on Wednesday was indicative of Harvard’s powerful offense.

But don’t let the dozen-point margin fool you—the Crimson also showcased defense at its finest. Roberts pitched five nearly perfect innings—her game was only marred by one Crusader hit, a single in the first inning.

One of the many freshmen contributing significantly to the Harvard softball squad, Roberts did more than her part last week. She averaged only three hits allowed and no runs when she pitched two of the wins, as the Crimson posted an impressive 5-1 record. Those victories also had bigger implications, as it meant that Harvard secured a one-game lead over Dartmouth, solidifying a first-place spot in the Ivy League North Division.

Roberts turned the well-known adage into reality last week: the best offense is a good defense. Sure, the Crimson put up twelve runs against Holy Cross on Wednesday. But Harvard only earned one run on four hits against Yale on Saturday, and after five scoreless innings, the Crimson was able to walk off the field breathing a sigh of relief.

“[Roberts has] pitched great for us all year,” said captain and second baseman Julia Kidder. “We only got her one run, but that was all she needed.”

Harvard’s win on Saturday was its fifth in a row, but the Bulldogs put an end to their own skid and terminated the Crimson’s sizzling streak by taking the last game of the series 5-2.

Going 3-1 against a rival like Yale requires versatility and depth—especially in a four game series. Roberts, who is third in wins among Harvard pitchers, is a shining example of the depth of this year’s squad. The fruitless efforts of the Bulldogs and the Crusaders to convert one of her many pitches into scoring hits pays homage to her multi-faceted ball-hurling skills.

“She was real efficient. She got ahead in the count—all her pitches were working,” Harvard coach Jenny Allard said. “Dana and [junior pitcher] Shelly Madick did a great job limiting their walks.”

The Crimson only has five more regular season games, the first of which comes this Thursday against non-Ivy rival Quinnipiac. Come out to one of those games, and you just might get to see Dana Roberts giving the opponents the gift no one wants, her trademark goose egg.