“I went to his clinic and learned, and I just became a lefty from then on, since batting lefty starts you closer to first base,” Stefanchik said.

For Stefanchik, who has the skill to place the ball in different spots depending on the defensive setup, is naturally most attracted to the strategy of the game.

Her high school experiences and ability to get on base for the Crimson indicate that the strategy she’s adopted is effective.

Her instincts in deciding where to place the ball allow her to “eat up the defense,” in the words of Harvard Coach Jenny Allard.

With her ability to slap or bunt her way to first-base once or twice per game and run the bases, Stefanchik has already proven herself to be an invaluable team asset.

Pitching In

Harvard’s two freshman pitchers, Lauren Tanner and Beth Sabin, have changed the landscape of the Crimson’s pitching rotation. While last year Harvard only had three arms to rotate, now it has five.

Tanner—featured in Sports Illustrated Faces in the Crowd—remembers that her choice to focus on softball was a result of trial and error. She started with soccer, volleyball and cross-country, gradually eliminating those that didn’t seem to have a future.

But it was not by chance that after attending pitching clinics as early as the third grade, Tanner thrived at her chosen sport and—with 112 high school wins—became the winningest pitcher in Texas history, though Tanner’s never been one to focus on statistics.

“I didn’t know if [breaking the record] was a good or bad thing,” said Tanner. “It just happened. It’s not like I was counting.”

Tanner’s modesty masks the magnitude of her accomplishments, but having a good time is something she’s more than willing to talk about. Her free-spirit and enthusiasm is epitomized by her two-year reign as her high school’s mascot.

“I was wild,” said Tanner of her years spent encouraging crowds as “Willy the Wild Cat.”

Her wild and fun-loving spirit may be behind her, but her past lives on in the high school pictures she’s shown to her teammates.

“[Lauren] is perfect for a mascot,” Williamson said. “She’s so funny.”

Though Tanner has the national recognition, pitcher Beth Sabin has had the stronger start to her Crimson career. Coming to Cambridge all the way from Woodinville, Wash., Sabin brings her athletic and academic prowess.