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Softball Hosts NCAA Playoffs Today

"The main thing that happened was that I got some hits to fall, and that got my confidence up," LaSovage said. "I just go up there looking to drive the ball hard, and I expect it to fall."

As impressive as the offensive improvement has been. Harvard's defense has been the key to the team's late season charge. In its last 20 games, Harvard upped its fielding percentage to .957 and has reduced its errors nearly by half.

Harvard's pitching has been its strength, and Cupp and Thoke have led the way with phenomenal second halves of the season. In her last 10 appearances, Thoke has either recorded a win or a save, going 7-0 over that stretch with three saves.

She has also lowered her ERA from 5.68 on April 7 to 4.11 at the end of the regular season. She finished as the Ivy League leader in strikeouts (152 in 131 and-one third innings), and she is a serious contender for the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award.

Cupp has been, in a word, sensational, Harvard's season and career record holder for strikeouts, Cupp capped off her regular-season career with her best performances. The senior southpaw has an 8-2 record since April 7, and she has lowered her ERA in that time from 2.62 to a team-low 1.89. This week--after throwing Harvard first even perfect game on Tuesday, April 28--she earned Ivy League Pitcher of the Week honors for the third time this season, and she is in contention for Ivy Pitcher of the Year.

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"The season of has gone pretty well, and we want that to continue if I go my goal is to not let them score,"

Harvard might very well sweep the Ivy awards this year as LaSovage's late-season charge makes her a candidate for Ivy Player of the Year. LaSovage's main competition for the honor should come from her teammate Abeles, last year's Ivy Rookie of the Year and a three-time Player of the Week this season.

Having firmly established itself as the top team in the Ivy League, Harvard enters an arena it has never before experienced--the NCAA Division I Softball Championship. With the roll the team has been on, it will be difficult for the Crusaders to derail this Crimson express.

"I feel confident," LaSovage said. "We're all pretty excited. We've seen [Holy Cross] before, and we know what to expect.

"We're definitely playing our best softball right now. All three of our pitchers are ready to go. I don't think Holy Cross will score many runs on us."

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