During his junior year, he batted .134 until his mid-April breakout series at Yale.
Part of this, he says, has been due to a lack of action in summer league ball, depleting his “memory bank of pitches.”
“But for whatever reason,” he says, “when I’m in a groove, I just go up there with a lot of confidence and swing the bat well.”
After his big weekend at Yale, Hale finished his junior season on a tear, watching his season average balloon from .134 to .257. League competition caught the brunt of the hot streak.
“Bryan seems to pick it up a notch when we’re playing the Ivy League teams,” Walsh says. “He’s had the stamp on him since he’s been here, that we’re just waiting on him to put it together. We’re hoping that he has a real good season.”
Hale’s speed, an invaluable asset to the team, also shakes things up for a Crimson offense that will hit plenty of three-run homers. Quick out of the box and fast down the line, the lefthander beats out groundballs and routinely bunts for base hits.
That speed helps him get past first, too. Last year, Hale stole nine bases in 14 attempts, showing off a quality that, according to teammates, adds a whole other dimension to the lineup.
“As a hitter, Bryan has a lot of pop in his bat and can drive the ball to any field,” Salsgiver says, adding that he is an “excellent baserunner” who “nabs bases at will.”
Walsh says that he has tried to convince Hale to cut his swing this season so he can get on base more consistently. The murderer’s row behind him will have no problems driving in runs, so if Hale can get on base more often no matter where he is in the lineup, that will be a huge plus for the Crimson.
As Harvard’s co-captain with Hendricks, Hale brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to a young Crimson team.
“I’ve always been a fringe, fighting-for-a-spot-in-the-lineup kind of guy,” Hale says. “So I make sure I try to bring those kinds of guys into the fold and keep them motivated. It’s easy to be focused if you’re starting every game.”
The speedster from Seattle will be especially motivated this season. After a heartbreaking loss to Princeton in the Ivy League finals last year, Hale is as hungry as ever.
“You want to win the Ivy League badly every year,” Hale says. “But I sure as hell would like to walk out of here with a ring on my finger.”
—Staff writer Robert C. Boutwell can be reached at boutwel@fas.harvard.edu.