UH softball team in search of arms
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i softball team's pitching situation is up in the air because of circumstances Down Under.
Ace pitcher Felicity Witt has left school to tour with Australia's national team. If she decides to return to UH, it won't be until after the 2004 Olympics. "And that's a big 'if,' " UH coach Bob Coolen said.
Infielder Stacey Porter, who was expected to move into UH's pitching rotation, also is considering an offer to return to her native Australia in January.
"If we don't have Stacy, it'll be a big blow," said Coolen, although he said Porter is leaning toward remaining with the Wahine this season.
Coolen said he hopes freshmen Melissa Coogan of West Hills, Calif., Shannon Tabion of Wailuku, Maui, and Paula Blanning of Australia will challenge for spots in the rotation. They will pitch in the 2001 Fall Rainbow Classic tomorrow and Saturday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. There is no admission charge for the tournament, which includes Chaminade, Hawaii Pacific, Brigham Young-Hawai'i and Hawai'i-Hilo. UH will field two teams.
Porter will play shortstop in place of the injured Kate Judd this weekend. Judd, who led the Western Athletic Conference with eight home runs and 30 runs batted in last season, is recovering from elbow surgery, and has been instructed by doctors not to begin training extensively until Dec. 10.
But the plan is for Porter and sophomore Sheri Oronoz, who was 2-1 before suffering an injury last season, to lead the pitching staff.
"Porter throws as hard as any of our other pitchers right now," Coolen said. "If we lose her during the course of the season, we'll be in trouble."
Porter's fastballs have been clocked at about 60 mph. Throwing in the low- to mid-60s, Coolen said, "is what you're looking for."
Oronoz's fastest pitch has been timed at 62 mph. Coogan has been clocked at 61 mph, Tabion at 60, Blanning at 58.
Still, they are not as accomplished as Witt, who was enrolled at UH for a month this semester. But Witt received an invitation to fill one of two openings on the Australian team scheduled to play in Europe and New Zealand.
She accepted, with the intent of trying out for the Australian team that will compete in the 2004 Olympics. Australia has crafted a three-year plan, with tournaments eventually leading to the Olympic tryouts. Witt is committed to the program until then; she will have one year of college eligibility if she returns to UH in 2004.
But to play collegiate softball again, Witt would have to refuse participation fees in international tournaments.
"That's something we talked about," Coolen said. "I left the cards on the table, but I'm not sure what she's going to do."
For now, Coolen is focusing on this weekend's tournament, which will serve as a tryout for non-scholarship players. In last year's tournament, Kimi Kaneshiro, playing on the Wahine's "B" squad, hit a game-winning homer against the "A" team.
"That gave her an opportunity to make the squad and travel with us on a couple of road trips," Coolen said. "It sort of bolstered her confidence a little bit. That's what this tournament is all about."
Schedule: Tomorrow—UH White vs. Chaminade, 4 p.m.; UH Green vs. Hawai'i Pacific, 5:30; UH White vs. Brigham Young-Hawai'i, 7; UH Green vs. UH-Hilo, 8:30. Saturday—UH-Hilo vs. Chaminade, 8 a.m.; BYU-Hawai'i vs. Hawai'i Pacific, 9:30; UH-White vs. UH-Hilo,11; UH Green vs. Chaminade, 12:30 p.m.; UH White vs. Hawai'i Pacific, 2; UH Green vs. BYU-Hawai'i, 3:30.
