The University of Tampa softball team is having a dominant 2010-2011 season thus far, with a 29-4 record, 10-2 in Sunshine State Conference games.
Coming back from a season last year in which the team went 23-17, with a 14-10 record in league play, the team’s increased success this time around can be attributed to stellar performances from top two pitchers, junior Deanna Henriott and senior Kari Walsh.
It may seem strange that the team essentially only uses two pitchers, unlike baseball which generally has multiple pitchers seeing action every couple of games.
Softball pitchers pitch underhand, rather than overhand like in baseball. The underhand pitching motion is a natural motion for the arm because it puts less strain on the body. The overhand motion used in baseball is unnatural, so it puts strain on the shoulder.
Since softball pitchers pitch in a more natural motion, they do not need as much rest time between starts, and can therefore pitch back-to-back games, thus decreasing the size of a team’s pitching staff.
When asked about their strong performances, both pitchers were quick to take the shine off themselves and put it on their teammates.
“Our teammates have been great. They’ve given us a lot of run support,” Henriott said.
It is true that their teammates have provided significant run support- needing only five innings to win six of their games this season, with eight-run leads and a run limit that if reached, ends the game early.
The pitching has been dominant as well, boasting thirteen shutout games. Henriott opened the season on the mound for the Spartans. It was her first start since May of 2009 due to injury. She notched a perfect game in that start to kick off the season, and has accumulated two no-hitters since.The perfect game was the first of Henriott’s career and the second in Spartan history.
Henriott and Walsh recognize the old adage, “there’s no ‘I’ in team.”
When discussuing the team’s success this year, due in large part to superb pitching, both were reluctant to take the credit.
They stressed the team effort and then the combination of the other pitchers.
“We have each other’s backs,” Walsh said. “If one of us is having trouble, the other one can come in and help out.”
The pitchers maintain that they have not changed anything that could contribute to their success. Fortune must be on their side then, since this year is statistically better than last.
Henriott missed last season due to a torn hip labrum, and Walsh was the number two pitcher who took the role as the staff ace once Henriott was out. Walsh’s numbers included a 2.65 ERA and a 9-7 record with 87 strikeouts and 22 walks.
This year, the left-handed Walsh is 11-2 so far, with an ERA of 1.70, 52 strikeouts and 19 walks.
The right-handed Henriott is 18-2, with an ERA of 0.42, 198 strikeouts and 22 walks.
The team still has 12 games left in the regular season, and look to improve their current 10th place status in the national rankings. All of those 12 matches are against SSC rivals. No conference game comes without a challenge in the SSC.
“The rest of the season will be tough. We’ve got some tough matchups coming up,” Walsh said.
However, if the team continues to play as they have all season, with solid pitching and run support backing their pitchers up, the Spartans should be just fine.
April Weiner can be reached at april.weiner@spartans.ut.edu.
