This year's squad does look to have a bit more talent, led by outfielder Nick Graham. In the Big Red's first game of the year, Graham went 3-for-3 with a home run, three RBI, a run scored, and two stolen bases.
Graham's performance was not enough to lead Cornell to victory, however, as the Big Red lost its first two games of the 2001 season, 8-7 and 4-1, to Bucknell.
Penn Quakers
Penn has improved from last season, when the team had no First Team All-Ivy players. The Quakers have 11 letterwinners returning and have 10 veterans back on their pitching staff. Their rotation looks to be quite solid, with junior Mike Mattern likely slotted for the number one position.
Mattern may well represent the key to the Quakers' Ivy League hopes this year. While he enjoyed a moderately successful sophomore season, a return to his freshman form would prove invaluable. In 1999, Mattern led the Quakers with a 4.02 ERA, six wins, 42 strikeouts, and 53.2 innings pitched. That year, he also placed sixth in the league in ERA.
One interesting note that should have Penn near the top of the Ivy League for the next four years is their freshman recruiting class, which numbers an unheard of 15 men.
"Penn may be the most improved team on paper with the freshman recruiting class they brought in," Walsh says. "I think they brought in about 15 kids."
"I don't know how they do things at Penn," Walsh added, laughing. "If they gave me 15 kids each year in admissions, I'd be scheduling the PAC-10 teams."
Princeton Tigers
The Tigers lost starting pitcher Chris Young, an all-Ivy First Team member, to graduation, but return five other first team all-Ivy players.
Those returnees include reliever David Boehle, first baseman Andrew Hanson, shortstop Pat Boran, outfielder Max Krance and utility man Jon Watterson. These veterans should make the Tigers an odds-on favorite to repeat as Ivy League champions.
The Tigers play a double-header in Cambridge on Sunday April 8th.