When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Rookie first baseman Dave Levinson '06 has been tough, and going strong, since the first day he stepped onto the Amherst baseball field this spring. Rather than sit the season out due to a partially torn rotator cuff, Levinson postponed surgery and began playing first base where he could still contribute without having to throw as much.

Despite the injury, Levinson has made only one error this season for a fielding percentage of .993 while leading the team in put-outs with 129. Although Levinson admits that throwing is painful, his insistence that "I can live with the pain," reflects his commitment to the Amherst team, as well as to the sport he's been playing since the age of three.

Further proof of Levinson's threshold for pain lies in another statistic: he has been hit by pitches far more than any other Jeff. Five times this season the ball has found Levinson instead of the strike zone.

The right-handed Levinson has been as strong in the batter's box as he has been in the field. Batting in the very important third spot, the rookie boasts a .333 batting average with 16 hits and nine runs batted in. And with a team that is 9-6 so far and blessed with a large number of upperclassmen, Levinson's 14 starts in the first 15 games of the season are all the more impressive. Additionally, Levinson is second on the team in at-bats with 48.

"Right from day one in the cage, he has been one of our best hitters," said Head Coach Bill Thurston. "Dave has outstanding swing mechanics and has the mental traits of a good hitter." Additionally, Thurston called Levinson "the most pleasant surprise of the season."

This past weekend, Levinson went two-for-three with a two-run RBI to help lead Amherst past Bates College in the second inning of the first game of a doubleheader. He started both games. In a tough loss to defending Div. III national champion Eastern Connecticut State University earlier in the week, Levinson accounted for one of Amherst's three hits.

It is often difficult to maintain poise in high-pressure situations, especially if you are new to the team. For Levinson, however, poise has posed no problem. Senior co-captain Joe Katuska was generous in his praise of the Jeff first baseman. "Dave started out hitting the ball really well and he has stayed relaxed throughout the season, which is often hard to do for a first year player. He should continue to help the team the rest of this year and in coming seasons as well," said Katuska.

"Seldom have we batted a freshman in the number three slot in our lineup, but he has handled the pressure very well," added Thurston.

At six feet five inches, and 205 pounds, Levinson has never exactly blended into the crowd. Before he came to Amherst, Levinson started for four years for his high school team at the Haverford School in Philadelphia. In his spare time, he played on a highly selective regional AAU team. He has been awarded Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors, and was elected captain of his high school team senior year.

Levinson has sampled as many positions as he has awards. Besides first base, he has played left field and catcher. Noted for his sense of humor, Levinson quipped that he was "probably the tallest, lankiest catcher ever."

So when Levinson is not hanging out with his aunt, Kim Cattrall of HBO's "Sex in the City," or laughing as an opponent flips over the outfield fence while chasing a fly ball during a spring break game in Florida, he's contributing to a team that hopes to bring home a national title this spring. And although he's only a freshman, Levinson has already proved himself an invaluable addition to an already strong Amherst baseball team.