A perennial Ivy League power, the Dartmouth baseball team will rely on deep pitching depth and crisp defense in a focused pursuit of its third Ivy League title in four years.
Two-time All-Ivy shortstop Joe Sclafani '12 and league-tested pitcher Kyle Hunter '13 lead a team looking to avenge its Ivy Championship Series loss to Princeton University last year.
"We have a very resilient and tough-minded group and historically that's been our trademark," head coach Bob Whalen, now in his 23rd year, said. "Our players work hard not just trying to get better, trying to be team oriented."
After infielder Jeff Onstott '11 graduated and the Texas Rangers drafted Kyle Hendricks '12 last spring, the team brought in 12 new recruits, transforming into a freshman- and sophomore-heavy squad.
"This team is more tailored to hit and run," Sclafani said. "We have a bunch of guys who are really athletic and can run well. It's fun to watch."
In addition to its physical assets, the Big Green's mental makeup will be tested, as the squad will frequently play four weekend games in a span of 30 hours.
"Baseball is an every day game," Whalen said. "The only game I care about is the next one. We're trying to take this year's group and make them better today."
The team's first test will occur this weekend when the Big Green travels south to play No. 20 Louisiana State University, followed by a nine-game California road trip for spring break.
"We try to be really aggressive in our early season scheduling," Whalen said. "This is a highly competitive challenge in front of us this weekend."
The Big Green utilized intense off-season workouts and live scrimmages to prepare for the jam-packed schedule.
While NCAA regulations limited players to individual lifts and conditioning workouts in January, the team maximized its February workouts to install its offensive and defensive strategies, according to Sclafani.
"Last year we kind of ran into an injury bug, and it came back to bite us," Sclafani said.
Team consistency and improved play from both young and old players will be key in the Big Green's pursuit of an Ivy League title and postseason success.
"We play hard-nosed baseball, and our pitchers get on the mound and throw strikes," Sclafani said. "If we can do that, all personal accolades will be second."
Dartmouth's softball team will look to improve on its 2011 record of 17-22 with impressive pitching, a new training method and renewed focus.
Head coach Rachel Hanson, now in her second year, recently introduced a "phase plan" in the offseason.
The idea, borrowed from a coach at Northwestern University, splits the season into five sections, according to co-captain Molly Khalil '12.
Each phase has a certain mindset, slogan and theme, which helps the team focus on a specific aspect of the game.
"It's a way to come together [and] get excited about the areas we want to improve," Hanson said.
The month of February was spent focusing on being a "detail-oriented team," according to Khalil.
"Those phases have helped us have a focus," Khalil said. "The culture of the team is taking a nice shape in that people are putting in all the extra work."
Hanson believes the continuity of the coaching staff from last season has also led to more effective off-season conditioning.
"They came back in better shape, faster, and the mental makeup was a lot better than last year," Hanson said. "I'm quite pleased with the way they've embraced the direction that we're going."
The Big Green will also rely on strong pitching in pursuit of an Ivy League crown. Evan Gray '13, a speed and rise ball pitcher, will lead a rotation that includes drop ball pitcher Hillary Barker '12 and freshmen Kristen Rumley '15 and Rachel Hein '15, Khalil said.
"Every position on the field, we're excited about," Hanson said. "We have a lot more competition at every position. It's exciting to see them step up and push each other."
The 2012 season will also mark the opening of a new softball stadium, Dartmouth Softball Park.
"We all went out to the field as a team a few weeks ago, and it was a really special thing," Khalil said.
The stadium is tentatively set to open for Dartmouth's home opener on April 6, according to Khalil.
The Big Green begins the season this weekend with a road trip to South Carolina.
After several months of practicing inside, it is finally time "to put some cleats in dirt," Hanson said.
