When not pitching and helping lead Dartmouth to the NCAA Division I softball tournament, Morgan McCalmon ’16 works on neuroscience homework, intent on becoming a doctor.
On the softball field, McCalmon has improved tremendously over the past year. She holds a 10-5 record, up from 4-7 last year, and has pitched 92.2 innings tallying 93 strikeouts while allowing 41 runs on 90 hits. Last year she pitched 90 innings and racked up 86 strikeouts but gave up 71 runs on 107 hits in fewer games.
When declaring her major, McCalmon said, she debated between psychology and neuroscience, ultimately opting for the latter.
The brain and its functions, she said, comprise the most interesting part of her academic studies.
“I’m really fascinated with the biological processes of the brain,” she said.
Her desire to become a doctor has been evident since she was young.
“When I was little, I dressed up as a doctor on Halloween and a person said, ‘Oh, you’re such a cute nurse,’” McCalmon said. “I got really mad at that and told them I’m not a nurse and didn’t take their candy.”
On nights when she has exams, McCalmon often heads to Leverone Field House afterward and hits softballs off the tee for an hour, an important stress reliever, she said.
“I’ve always just been able to go to the softball field, go to the cages and release everything,” she said.
McCalmon grew as a player this year, coach Rachel Hanson said, noting that her endurance has improved.
Her development has lightened the load for her fellow starting pitcher Kristen Rumley ’15, who last year carried the team, pitching 197 innings on her way to a 22-9 record.
“Morgan has developed into a great number two for us and, frankly, could be the number one for a lot of teams,” Hanson said. “She’s done a great job of turning herself into a full-fledged starter.”
Rumley and McCalmon’s pitching styles complement one another well. Rumley, who is left-handed, focuses more on control and throws with a downward movement whereas McCalmon, who is right-handed, throws with greater power with either left, right or upward motions.
“It’s awesome having two pitchers and knowing that if one is struggling one day, the other is going to have your back,” Rumley said. “We’re a great combination between the two of us. I don’t think we could be a more perfect fit for this team.”
According to McCalmon, when the weather was cold, Alex St. Romain ’14 and the other catchers on the team sometimes jokingly complained about sore or bruised hands from McCalmon’s strong pitching.
St. Romain admitted that she had to ice her hand after several games, but she said the pain is worth it.
“She’s done a great job spinning the ball and hitting her spots,” St. Romain said of her teammate. “Last year, she didn’t throw a first strike very often, but now she’s got it to where she can throw a first strike consistently.”
McCalmon has also produced at bat, registering 42 hits and six homers on the season for a team-leading .389 batting average.
Her father, McCalmon said, encouraged her to attend Dartmouth for the education it offered and the chance to play a sport she loved.
“My dad always tells me you can’t eat a softball,” McCalmon said.
McCalmon’s favorite memories of softball, aside from winning the Ivy League championship, have been forming relationships with her teammates.
“I feel like I’ve known these people for my entire life,” McCalmon said.
The aspiring doctor and developing softball star will find out the team’s fate in the first round of the NCAA tournament on May 11, when the NCAA tournament bracket is revealed.
