Morgalis is one of two Crimson players who spent the summer weighing their options before deciding to return to the team. Junior shortstop Zak Farkes seriously considered signing with the Boston Red Sox after the team selected him in the 39th round last June, but elected to return to school instead.

With both players back, Harvard returns all but two of its starting position players and three of four pitchers from last year’s weekend rotation. Nevertheless, with the health of junior starting pitcher Matt Brunnig still in question and reigning Ivy Pitcher of the Year Hendricks lost to graduation, Morgalis provides a crucial boost to the staff.

In two years with the Crimson, Morgalis has never won an Ivy title, one reason Walsh said motivated him to return.

The 2004 team finished the season 21-18-1 with a 14-8 Ivy mark, losing the Red Rolfe division on the final weekend of play to Dartmouth. In 2003, Harvard won the Red Rolfe division, but fell to Princeton two games to one in the Ivy Championship Series.

“Not having won here for a couple years and coming close both times [probably had a big impact on his decision],” Walsh said. “I’ll tell you, you can do a lot of things in your lifetime, but you can’t always play for a championship.”

—Staff writer Lande A. Spottswood can be reached at spottsw@fas.harvard.edu.