Finishing out its season this past weekend, the Dartmouth softball team has a lot to boast about.
A 4-8 record? Fourth place in the Ivy League? Maybe it is not a coach's dream, but for Hank Tenney and his club, it is pretty darn good.
"If someone had told me three years ago that we would beat Brown and Penn and out-hit Harvard I would never have believed them," said senior tri-Captain Kim Worboys.
Believe it.
For the six seniors on the team --Ericka Lee, Elise Leroux, Rachel Rochat, Jennifer Pitts, Susan Warhover and Worboys -- this weekend marked the last time they would take to the field.
"Before this year, we went into games against other Ivy League teams just hoping to avoid a blowout," Worboys said. "This year we went in wanting to win."
"This year we really showed other teams that we are serious and that we can compete," Warhover said. "It feels great to finish tied for fourth in the Ivies. I'm looking forward to following next year's season, I think it'll be great."
The team was swept last weekend at Harvard, but the close games reflect just how improved the Big Green squad is.
Harvard 2, Dartmouth 0
Last year when the two Ivy League rivals faced off, Harvard won both games, 10-0 and 19-1. This year, the Big Green wanted to shake the Crimson up, if not win.
In the first inning, Harvard's leadoff batter reached third on an outfield error and scored on a fly ball. Worboys singled in the second inning, as did Lauren McQuade '97. But the rally was cut short when Worboys was picked off and the next batter struck out.
In the fourth, the leadoff batter for Harvard reached first on a walk and stole second. The next batter walked, and the runner on second moved up on a pass ball and scored on another fly ball to center.In the sixth inning, after one out, Lerouxmade it to third on a single by Rochat, but on a delayed double steal attempt , Leroux was cut down at the plate.
Dartmouth was never able to come back after Harvard's two runs. Ericka Lee '95 finished up her four-year career with a great pitching performance, giving up only three hits and walking two.
Dartmouth left eight runners on base while out-hitting Harvard 5-3.
"We felt like we played really well in the first game" Warhover said. "With a score of 2-0, both teams clearly played well defensively. Still, it's disappointing that we couldn't rally our hits to get some runs, but the game was close, and we were in it the whole way."
"The first game was very close, it was anyone's ball game," Worboys said. "We just didn't string the hits together, and Harvard did. Our pitching and defense really shut them down defensively, and that was a great feeling after losing quite badly to them last year."
Harvard 6, Dartmouth 2
"This was a great game until the sixth inning," Tenney said.
Harvard started out by scoring a run in the first.
After two outs, the Crimson had a single that eventually reached third on an error. Another single brought in the run. In the second, Harvard had a walk and an error to score another run. By the third inning, Harvard lead 3-0.
Dartmouth answered back in the third by scoring two runs. Karen Hersey '96 started by hitting a line-drive double. Then Lee hit a single, followed by a bunt to first by Warhover. Pitts had a ground ball to second, bringing in Hersey. With runner on second and third, Worboys singled, driving in Lee.
Julia Doster '97 grounded out, and with two outs McQuade hit a ball up the middle that was backhanded by the second baseman McQuade was then tagged at first, a close questionable call.
"The turning point of the second game came on that close, questionable call that ended the sixth inning" Worboys said. "We would have taken the lead on that play, and had runners at the corners. Instead, Harvard took the momentum into the bottom half of the inning and scored."
With the score 3-2, Harvard put it away in the sixth inning. After a leadoff homer, Harvard reached home on an error and a single to score the second run. Then Dartmouth made its third error of the inning, allowing the third run.
Christina Maybaum '98 threw asix-hitter, walking three and striking out two. Dartmouth out-hit Harvard 5-3.
"We felt that we could pull through and get the key hits we needed to pull ahead," Warhover said. "They scored those three runs in the sixth from some good hits, and we couldn't do the same. It was a close game, though, again, and it felt good to play well."
"Both games were ones that Dartmouth was in and had the opportunity to win," Tenney said. "We had a great season and a great final day for the Big Green.
"It was a great way to go," Tenney said. "A win would have been better, but to play the number two team in the League the way we did on this last day, was enough to prove that we really belong. The women made the College proud."
