Unable to think of a topic this week, Jordan and I turned to our good friend Adam for advice. Maybe it was the fact that the weather in Hanover this weekend felt so much like spring (47 degrees the other day), but Adam wanted us to preview spring sports. As we sat in Jordan's room and talked, the discussion basically boiled down to which team we thought would have a better season this year: softball or baseball.
Both teams have performed very well in recent history. We can all easily remember the Big Green baseball team's three-game playoff with Columbia last season for the Ivy League championship. I, however, have decided to make the case that the Dartmouth softball team will have a better season this year -- not because I believe the baseball team will do poorly -- but rather because I truly think the softball team has all the tools to make an incredible run.
Let me stress that in writing this article, there is no real wrong answer. It is almost like picking between Pavilion cookies and Food Court fro-yo: Both have their advantages and are good choices.
The softball team has the perfect mix to win an Ivy League title this year. The team is returning eight starters, including and entire infield consisting of Ashley Gleason '09 at third base and juniors Chrisy Austin '10 at shortstop, Kirsten Costello '10 at second, Alyssa Parker '10 at first and Leigha Clarkson '10 at catcher. In softball, chemistry is a huge part of the game, and this infield has played together for almost three years now. The players all know how to work as a unit, and should have no problem fielding whatever comes their way. The Big Green pitchers will not have to worry about many unearned runs getting through the defense.
Pitching is another forte of the Big Green softballers. In baseball, teams need a four-man starting rotation (because four games are played each weekend), as well as relievers and closers. That is a lot of positions to fill. In softball, teams only really need two pitchers to do all of that. This is why the graduation of Angela Megaw '08 will hurt the Big Green, but not as much as the baseball team losing both Chase Carpenter '08 and Russ Young '08.
This year the Big Green welcome Kat Hicks '12 and Hillary Barker '12 to join Devin Lindsay '11 on the pitching staff. While it is true that a lot of pressure may fall on these young arms, the pitchers will hopefully gain confidence because of the stellar defense behind them.
The deciding factor in choosing the softball team in this debate is the fact that this team is playing for respect. The softball team is the only team at Dartmouth that does not have a home on campus. This point, exacerbated by the furnishing of a brand new baseball field this year, is why I predict softball players will come out firing on all cylinders to get more recognition from the school.
The softball field, located at Sachem field (yes, the same Sachem field that we have to drive to for IM flag football games) is a pitiful excuse for a Division I varsity athletic site. The softball team is a small team of only 14 women, but if I have learned one thing in my lifetime of watching sports, it is that teams always perform the best when they foster an "us against the world" mentality.
I believe that these women, who have to drive to their own home games, are playing for recognition. In sports, the best and quickest way to gain recognition is to win games. The softball team, with its young and talented pitching, combined with a defense that has experience playing together and has formed a cohesive bond, should be able to do just that.
Great teams always have three main ingredients: talent, chemistry and drive. The softball team has all of these this year -- which is exactly why I am picking it to have an amazing spring of 2009.
