One of the main reasons for Harvard's success was Cupp. The rookie compiled a 14-5 record, striking out 101 battlers--a Harvard single-season record--in 138 innings and posting a 1.72 ERA. In her first 24 innings in the two days of the ECAC Tournament, she allowed only three earned runs and threw a one-hitter and no-hitter.

With the exception of the Princeton weekend--which were 11-0 and 6-2 blowouts--Cupp breezed through the Ivy League as well, as did Brown. Brown was another solid presence on the mound, going 11-4 with a 2.10 ERA in 106-and-two-thirds innings.

Of course, to make the battery work, one needs a strong catcher to go along with the pitchers, and Harvard had that, too, in Hartl--another freshman. Hartl was especially on fire over the first half of the season, getting herself into the top 10 in the nation in batting. She finished second on the Crimson with a .347 batting average.

But nobody came close to the performance of junior shortstop Amy Reinhard. Also a starter on the women's basketball team, Reinhard hit .394 overall, belted three homers and broke the Harvard single-season records for hits and stolen bases (56 and 25, respectively) and career.

Reinhard led the Crimson in 13 offensive categories. In the addition to her bat, she saved the Crimson many runs with her slick glove and gun of an arm.

Reinhard was Harvard's only first team All-Ivy League selection, while Cupp, sophomore third baseman Katina Lee and sophomore outfielder Melissa Kreuder, who was second on the team with 24 RBI's and fourth with a .315 batting average, made the second team.

And all of those players will be back next year and hungry for more.

"They should have than expectation," Allard said. "They should want to go to postseason [next year]."