Sophomore Jeff Reynolds stepped up for the Crimson when it mattered, batting .409 with runners in scoring position during league play. The third baseman put up 25 RBI, three home runs, and the team’s highest batting average (.359).

Harvard baseball took its season down to the wire with its last day of conference competition determining final positioning, but crucial losses ultimately kept it out of postseason play.

“Any time you get a chance on that last day, you’ve got to feel good about that,” Crimson coach Joe Walsh said. “I wish we could have had more games to see how it would have ended up.”

The squad ended the season with a 17-26 record, going 10-10 in Ivy League play. Harvard’s overall winning percentage was an improvement from last year’s mark of .317, while its conference record remained the same.

“As a whole, I think the season was an improvement from the last few years,” junior captain Tyler Albright said. “Baseball is all about progress, so this season was good for us.”

The Crimson’s pitchers, touted as one of the team’s biggest strengths at the beginning of the season, proved their skill early and produced strong, if not consistent, defensive numbers.

“Our pitching was better than the ERAs show, but we struggled with inconsistency,” Walsh said. “Sometimes you go out there and you’ve got it, and then the next day you don’t.”

Harvard’s hurlers were led by sophomore southpaw Brent Suter, who posted an Ivy-best 4-0 record and 33 strikeouts in 33.0 innings, allowed only seven walks, and was nearly flawless against left-handed batters.

“Brent really left it all out on the field,” Albright said. “We’re excited to have him returning, because we know he’ll be solid for us in the future.”

Junior Eric Eadington also contributed to the Crimson’s efforts on the mound with four wins after returning from an arm injury that put an early end to his season last year.

Underclassman pitchers such as freshmen Andrew Ferreira and Joey Novak and sophomores Connor Hulse, Will Keuper, Jonah Klees, and Marcus Way all had strong appearances on the mound as well.

“Many of the young guys did great, but they have to learn to hold on a little better,” Walsh said. “They kept getting behind in the count, and we just can’t do that in close games.”

Harvard’s young pitching staff was able to gain important experience throughout the season, and it provides promise for future years.

“A lot of them got to see a lot of game time this year and were able to really see how important every single game is,” Albright said.

Despite recording its best start in three years, the Crimson struggled early on the road, at one point dropping eight games in a row.

As Harvard returned to the Northeast, it picked up some close wins before opening conference play against Princeton.