Three important departures have left the Crimson battery light on experience.

Behind the plate, the absence of Monica Montijo ’03-’04 puts the catching burden squarely on the shoulders of two underslassmen.

Sophomore Laura Miller is the more experienced of the two backstops. Platooning with Miller will be freshman Erin Halpenny.

“I consider them both starting catchers,” says Harvard coach Jenny Allard. “Usually I don’t want just one catcher, unless we’re put in a situation where we have to have that. We want them to split games and develop.”

Allard appears to be bringing the freshman along slowly. This season, Miller has seen the bulk of the action, appearing in 17 games to Halpenny’s eight.

Miller started 34 games for the Crimson in 2002, and provides a consistent offensive spark for the team. She is currently third on the team with a .341 batting average.

Halpenny impresses with her technical ability behind the plate and is developing a feel for hitting on the college level.

“Erin is a great blocking catcher, she has a terrific arm, and I think she calls a great game,” Allard says.

Receiving those signs on the mound are four pitchers with three combined years of college experience.

Since senior Suzanne Guy left the team and tri-captain Tiffany Whitton chose to focus on hitting and defense, the staff veteran is junior tri-captain Kara Brotemarkle.

Last season, Brotemarkle was named to the Second Team All-Ivy list for her 11-7 record and 107 strikeouts. Over her two years at Harvard, Brotemarkle’s ERA is a low 2.06, which would be good enough for third on Harvard’s all-time list.

“She’s the ace,” says Allard. “She’s been our go-to pitcher because of her experience.”

This spring, Brotemarkle has been able to hold regional opponents in check, working deep into games against Drexel, Holy Cross, and Boston University. The losses in her 2-6 record have come against tougher teams in the Crimson’s trips to the South.

The only other Crimson pitcher in the rotation with college experience is sophomore Lauren Tanner. Her classmate, Lauren Bettinelli, will also take to the mound this year, but has not pitched at Harvard. Freshmen Michele McAteer (pictured below left) rounds out the rotation.

Tanner throws hard and relies on natural movement to make batters miss. Last season, she showed her big-game chops by holding Columbia to two hits in four innings at the ECAC Championships.