The trek down Yawkey Way. The decaying World Series flag form 1918. The monstrous green wall in left field, A Harvard jersey on the mound it can only means one thing.

It's Beanpot time.

The Harvard baseball team opens the 1999 Beanpot tournament this afternoon at Fenway Park against UMass (21-12). The Crimson (21-13, 13-3 Ivy) seek to earn the glory and bragging rights of the best team in Boston, while it roams the same field that Ted Williams did.

"For the Massachusetts guys especially, this is a dream come true," sophomore pitcher Graham McKay said. "It's amazing. The guys really look forward to playing at Fenway."

The game will give Harvard the shot at UMass that Mother Nature did not permit last season. The two teams were supposed to square off in the 1998 Beanpot final, but rain forced a cancellation three times.

Harvard lost in the last Beanpot final, held two years ago.

"It was unfortunate we didn't get to play the final game last year." Sophomore pitcher John Birtwell said. “It was a big disappointment."

Harvard could not be coming into the Beanpot playing better baseball. It just finished taking three of four from Brown this past weekend, giving Harvard nine wins in its last 10 games.

Fueling the Crimson's recent surge has been the emergence of the offense. The bats have finally awoken to provide runs and capitalize on the great pitching Harvard has received this year.

The offense has scored 112 runs over these last ten games, including a 20-4 drubbing of Yale back on April 17.

No pitcher has been immune to Harvard's power, not even Brown ace John Sunderlick, who entered the weekend with a 6-0 record and 2.32 ERA. But he didn't make it past the first inning, giving up five runs on six hits.

"We have been playing better baseball--Harvard baseball," Birtwell said. "We have had difficulties getting the big inning before, but now we are. We had a couple of those innings against Brown."

Harvard has finally started to receive key situational hitting, capitalizing on its chances with men on base.

A variety of players have joined top slugger senior Andrew Huling in knocking in runs. Huling leads the team with a .412 batting average, five home runs and 42 RBI.

"Huling is our best ballplayer," Birtwell said. "He sets the standard for the team and gets guys caring more."