Softball Set to Host Terriers In Home Opener

Pictured: Harvard opens its home schedule against local foe Boston University.
Photo Courtesy: DSPics.com

Storyline
Harvard opens its 2010 home schedule with a showdown against local foe Boston University in a non-league contest. Today’s game marks the first for the Crimson in the Northeast as it began its season with 16 games in Florida and California. This also marks BU’s first road game in New England as the Terriers are coming off a quartet of games in Hempstead, N.Y. where they captured a pair of wins against Connecticut and a victory over Hoftsra.

Last Time Out
The Crimson endured a trying final day of its spring break trip, dropping closely contested games to Long Beach State, 1-0, and San Diego State, 4-0, Saturday on the campus of San Diego State. Rachel Brown started game one on the mound for Harvard and allowed no runs and one hit in three innings of work, picking up a pair of strikeouts. In game two, Stephanie Krysiak, Ellen Macadam, Emily Henderson, Jennifer Francis and Melissa Schellberg all had hits for Harvard.

Scouting the Terriers
BU enters today’s game with a 10-10 record on the season having won six of its last eight games. 2009 Third-Team All-America April Setterlund leads the Terriers with an impressive .517 batting average, collecting 30 hits, eight doubles, two triples and five homeruns to go along with a team-leading 19 RBI. Rachel Hebert has driven in 18 runs on the year and knocked five homeruns while Caitlin Rentler is second on the team with a .377 batting average and 23 hits.

Cassidi Hardy has pitched a team-high 61.2 innings and enters the Harvard game with a 2.50 ERA. Whitney Tuthill has logged 40.2 innings on the mound and brings a 3-2 record and 2.93 ERA into Thursday’s matchup.

Bumped Back
The Crimson’s scheduled home opener, a doubleheader against Bryant on March 23, was postponed due to weather. A makeup date has yet to be announced.

Spring Break 2010
Harvard played 11 games in nine days on its annual spring break trip, compiling a 2-9 record in games played in Riverside, Los Angeles and San Diego, Calif. The two Crimson wins both came against Northern Illinois at the Amy S. Harrison Classic.

Brown Out
Rachel Brown has been credited with all four Harvard victories on the mound so far this season. The sophomore leads the team in every major pitching category and was named Ivy League Pitcher of the Week for March 9 after picking up two wins on the opening weekend of the season.

Crimson Statistical Leaders
Melissa Schellberg leads the Crimson with a .263 batting average and is tied for the team lead with Jennifer Francis with 10 hits. Francis and Ellen Macadam have team-high totals of five RBI while Macadam has scored six runs to lead the squad. Emily Henderson leads Harvard with six stolen bases in seven attempts, while Macadam is close behind with five on the year.

Rachel Brown has pitched 51 innings for Harvard, compiling 70 strikeouts and holding opposing hitters to a .217 batting average. Jessica Ferri has racked up 11 strikeouts on the year in 27.1 innings pitched.

On the Horizon
Harvard is back in action this weekend with a game at Quinnipiac Saturday and two at Fairfield Sunday.