|
|
|
Aztecs' DeSanta Puts Hitters On Ice
The North County Times Feature Story
April 21, 2003
By Mike Sullivan SAN DIEGO - They call Bre DeSanta the "Ice Princess," and it has nothing to do with her vaunted changeup that freezes college softball hitters. Nor does it relate to her sometimes frosty demeanor that can leave teammates tentative to approach her. The nickname, coined by a school trainer, fits the San Diego State softball standout because she's cool under pressure. The tighter the situation, the more solid she becomes. "She's got a mental toughness that's just unbreakable," Aztecs coach Kathy Van Wyk said. "She is mentally tougher than just about any pitcher I've ever had. When you put that mental toughness along with the changeup, that combination is just lethal." It has proved to be an unhittable mix. The right-handed sophomore has hurled two no-hitters this season and has a sterling 0.98 ERA to accompany her 15-4 record. But the downright scary thing is that DeSanta is far from satisfied with her season. That makes one wonder what might occur if she were clicking on all cylinders. "That's the good thing about it," DeSanta said. "I've struggled all year but have managed to kind of get through it and still do the job." DeSanta put together what she termed her best effort of the season on Saturday, when she tossed an eight-inning, four-hit shutout in a 1-0 win against Utah. Her fastball to right-handed hitters was tailing in like a screwball, causing several Utes to swing at pitches that almost hit them. Her changeup, meanwhile, was even more dazzling, dropping more than a foot as it approached home plate. "That's an amazing pitch to be that good at, and it's so hard to hit," said Aztecs catcher Danielle Touhey, who caught both of DeSanta's no-hitters. "You kind of just swing and hope. What's so great about her changeup is it's not just a floater." Said Van Wyk: "It drops off the table, and that's what makes it difficult because they're lunging at it. By the time the bat gets around close to it, the ball's dropping underneath it." Primarily because of DeSanta's dominance, the Aztecs (33-14) have won a school-record 13 consecutive games. They are 9-0 in Mountain West Conference play and appear poised to reach the NCAA tournament for just the second time in school history. DeSanta has tossed nine shutouts this season, one shy of Michelle Wesson's school record. It's also believed that she's the first Aztecs softball pitcher to toss two no-hitters in a career, although shoddy recordkeeping over the years prevents definitive confirmation. Van Wyk knows there hadn't been any no-hitters tossed since she became an SDSU assistant coach in 1995. Research found that there have been at least two thrown prior to Van Wyk's arrival: by Robyn Reid (1983) and Karen McCormick (1992). DeSanta's claim to a school record for no-hitters is supported by this fact: Sandra Durazo, the Aztecs' career leader in victories (87) and shutouts (24), never tossed one in her career, though she did throw five one-hitters. Durazo racked up four of her one-hitters between May 10-18, 2001. She tossed two on one day in the Mountain West Conference tournament and then threw two more in the NCAA tournament as the Aztecs made a stunning run to a regional championship game, where they lost to UCLA to fall one win short of the Women's College World Series. Given the program's dubious history until recent seasons, Durazo was clearly its best-ever pitcher. Van Wyk said that's about to change. "I think Bre DeSanta will come into her own form," said Van Wyk, a former star pitcher who compiled a 35-1 record in 1982 for Cal State Fullerton. "She's right up there with her. Bre's farther ahead than Sandra was as a sophomore. Much farther." DeSanta's competitive nature arises with the mention of Durazo. DeSanta was the MWC Pitcher of the Year last season when she went 20-9 as a freshman. She arrived immediately after Durazo's departure and never saw her pitch. "I guess it's good being compared to her because she's obviously one of the better pitchers in San Diego State history," DeSanta said. "I think it'd be nice to be placed above her because I hear so much about her ---- Sandra this, Sandra that ---- and I'm like, 'Who is this girl?' "I'm sure I can compete with her." While that topic will sort itself out over the next two-plus seasons, there's no disputing that many college coaches are kicking themselves for overlooking DeSanta. Though she was a standout pitcher at Horizon High in Scottsdale, Ariz., she had resigned herself to attending junior college. Even Van Wyk was among the guilty. She said DeSanta expressed interest in playing for the Aztecs a couple times as a high school junior and senior, and Van Wyk turned her down each time before eventually relenting.
"After she graduated, we lost a couple of pitchers so we really needed
somebody, and thank God she was still available," Van Wyk said. "I had
already turned her down. It wasn't for a lack of ability. It was the fact we
had five pitchers at the time. She's done more than we ever expected her
to."
|
|
