“Soft-ball is a misnomer,” said Miller remembering the pain of the hard line-drive she was hit with when she was 12.

“My teeth came completely out of my mouth and were dangling by the wires of my braces,” Miller said. “The metal of my braces absorbed enough of the shock to keep my teeth from shattering.”

Perhaps Miller was destined to lead a masked existence.

Now that she’s been behind the plate for several years, having to step into a starting role at the college level hasn’t phased her.

With the support of her teammates and the experience of highly competitive Californian play behind her, Miller is having a ball.

High Utility

Although Ashley Augustine doesn’t fit directly into the worlds of pitching or catching, she contributes to the team in her own right.

“She’s a very quick runner with a consistent bat,” said Allard. “She’ll be a good role player for us.”

Possessing the athleticism to play in either the infield or outfield, Augustine—a two-time All-League selection in Michigan’s South Eastern Conference—represents the depth of talent characteristic of successful teams.

Easy Catch

Allard didn’t need much of a recruiting pitch to bring in her seven freshmen, five of whom applied early action.

“We’ve been a top team in the league for several years, and I think that helps in recruiting,” Allard said. “But I don’t think anyone comes here to play softball. I think they come here for Harvard.”

While the freshmen share a passion for softball, this emotion extends beyond the game to Harvard College itself.

Stefanchik admits that she always wanted to go Ivy League and to Harvard in particular.

“I thought Harvard offered a good balance,” said Stefanchik. “I wanted to play softball but I didn’t want it to take over my life.”