The Crimson, however, will counter with a pitching staff that ranks second in ERA and a starting rotation that boasts three starters who rank in the top eight statistically.

In all likelihood, the Big Green will first face junior ace Frank Hermann, who scattered five runs and seven hits over seven innings in his last start—a 6-5 loss to Brown on Monday.

Hermann ranks second in the Ivy League to Yale hurler Josh Sowers with a 2.35 ERA.

“Frank’s been pitching well for us recently,” Salsgiver said. “He gota loss the last time he pitched, but he looked great.”

Senior righthander Mike Morgalis typically pitches second. The veteran hasn’t lost yet this year and boasts a 2.61 ERA and five wins, both good for third-best in league.

He held the Bears hitless through the first four innings in his last start, ultimately giving up just two earned runs over 7 2/3 innings.

In the third slot, Harvard will likely feature freshman Shawn Haviland, who holds a 5-1 record for the season and pitched a gem in a 10-3 win over Brown on Tuesday.

The frosh allowed only three runs—two earned—over seven innings while fanning five.

The identity of the fourth starter, as it was this past weekend against the Bears, remains the biggest mystery. Walsh may choose to trot out junior Javy Castellanos on Sunday again.

In another key match-up, the Crimson, which leads the Ivy League in stolen bases and stolen base attempts, looks to continue its aggressive baserunning. Dartmouth’s Will Bashelor, a sophomore outfielder, already has 26 stolen bases on the season in just 29 attempts (89.7 percent), and should be a nuisance on the basepaths against Harvard.

“Bashelor is one of the fastest players in college baseball, not just the Ivy League,” Walsh said. “He’s a huge threat on the basepaths. I think it’ll be a key to see if the team or individual speed will win out.”

Harvard boasts a league-second-best .957 fielding percentage, and has shaken off the defensive rust that plagued it early in the season. Dartmouth lags not far behind with a .953 fielding percentage, though, and since every run will take on greater importance this weekend, the defense is more important than ever.

“We’ve been working a lot on defense recently,” said Walsh. “We want to be prepared for every situation—bunt, hit and run, whatever it may be. I’m proud of our defense.”

But the Crimson will also be playing for something, or someone, bigger than the Ivy League crown.

Right after Thanksgiving, sophomore Wes Cosgriff was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which proceeded to spread throughout his body.