Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1981)
• • • In an effort to bolster an injured pitching crew Sowa steps to the mound Hand Reggie Jackson a rosin bag and tell him to take to the mound and pitch. Make Johnny Bench toss aside his catcher’s glove and mount the hill. That is exactly what hap pened to Marcy Sowa, a fresh man member of Oregon's women’s softball team. Sowa, who was the backup first baseman when the season got under way, is now pitching for the Ducks in an unusual at tempt to bolster their depleted staff. It became a game of numbers as the Oregon pitching staff shrank to one. After the Ducks took seventh in last year’s AIAW champion ship, their pitching staff has never looked the same. The two expected main hurlers — fresh men Tami Caldwell and Ste phanie Heisler — went down with knee injuries early in the season and were never able to show their stuff. Krista Parent, who originally played second base for the mm Freshman Marcy Sowa hadn't pitched before she arrived at Oregon, but as injuries decimated the Duck softball squad she stepped to the mound. Ducks, had done some pitching in high school, and when the casualties began to mount, coach John Feeney asked his second baseman to help out with pitching. But soon Parent became a member of the casualty list and Duck newcomer Terri Ander son, a transfer from Southern Oregon State College, became the nucleus of the Oregon pitching staff. Then Sowa got into the act. "She got into pitching by ac cident,” Feeney says. “She volunteered to get ready for next season. We put her on a program to get ready for next year, but we have had to pitch her this year because of the injuries.” “I was doing some pitching drills gven me by coach Feeney because I had sort of volun teered to pitch if the injuries kept up," says Sowa. The neophyte pitcher gained her initial exposure to the mound in California when An derson developed a sore arm "On our last trip to California we were down by 10 runs in a game in the fourth inning,” she says. “Coach Feeny told me to warm up. “I couldn’t believe it, I had never pitched before and here I was in some real good competi tion.” With the loss of Parent, Oregon's pitching staff was down to just Sowa and starter Anderson. With only two pitchers, it was inevitable that Sowa would eventually start. On April 28, Sowa earned her first start on the mound against Oregon College of Education. And again, it was a semi-sur prise to her. "The coach didn’t even tell me I was going to pitch until about a half-hour before the game even started,” Sowa says. "I was kind of nervous, but once I got in there and got going, I felt pretty comfortable." Sowa, a graduate of Sunset High School in Beaverton, is only one of four Duck freshman from Sunset — Ruth House, Hawkeye's Cycle Week May 9th - 16th Cycle Week Specials • Every bike sold this week will include a cable, lock, rear rack, and light. . 25% off Eclipse bike bags. • 10% off Cannondale bike bags. • Plus special prices on lots of great bike accessories. • Limited to stock on hand Win a cycle touring outfit! Stop in during Cycle Week and enter. Win a $100 set of Cannondale front and rear touring bags. Drawing May 16. No purchase necessary. hawkeye’s mhh On the corner of 13th & Oak in Eugene, 343-5722 Tami Caldwell and Karen Vipond round out the list. "I think it's real neat that we are all down here," says Sowa. "We have all been good friends since the eighth grade. We all wanted to go to school together and here we are." Ever since her first trip to the mound, she has been enthu siastic abofff the job, Sowa says. "But when I began pitching, it was really a matter of trying to help the team. I really feel bad when I have an off day because I feel that I have let the team down. "But I really shouldn’t worry about it all that much because I am really just starting to pitch." Sowa’s willingness to step in and pitch has been a boon, says Feeney. "We didn’t want her to pitch very much — but Terri An derson has been hurting. "It’s been a tough situation for Marcy but she has done a good job.” A good job this year will probably translate into a relief pitching spot next season when the Duck pitching crew returns to full force, Sowa says. “I would like to keep pitching, even with the pitchers we have coming back," she says. "I will probably be just be a reliever, but that's okay.” Sowa as a relief pitcher would be an another plus for the team, Feeney says. "We would like her to continue on with her pitching even with the others coming back "We may have to move her to the outfield. I can see her as a right fielder because of her throwing arm. But we would still want her for relief purposes." Relief purposes or not, Sowa is enthused about the prospect. "I really enjoy pitching," she says With that attitude it could be hard to keep her off the mound By Steve Turcotte Photo by Jody Murray PRO SOCCER If professional soccer interests you, and you want to be part of the growing number of fans following the teams of the NASL, here’s a great opportunity Take the TIMBER EXPRESS! Sat. May 16: Portland Timbers -vs- Calgary Boomers Bus package: $15 (includes Gen. Adm. ticket and Trailways roundtrip ticket.) For more information and reservations call de Friscos 484-2263 DISCOUNT
