Mound Week: Mixed Results For Softball Hurlers
JMU's Jenny Clohan
The decade has witnessed a number of outstanding prep softball pitchers in our coverage area, 11 of whom have earned first- or second-team All-Met selections by The Washington Post.
It began in 2000 with Centreville's Kara Brotemarkle (Harvard University), and the trend continued with 2001 graduates Kathleen Jones (Chantilly/Virginia Tech) and Kat Peck (Oakton/Radford University). The biggest name, however, was two-time Group AA state player of the year Christy Anch, a 2002 Broad Run grad who later played at the University of Tennessee.
Of the 11 players, six are currently pitching in college - Virginia Tech senior Karie Morrison (Park View '03), Lynchburg College senior Larissa Roscher (Westfield '03), James Madison University junior Jenny Clohan (Broad Run '05), University of California sophomore Lauren Frankiewicz (Madison '05), Colgate University freshman Jesse McCarrick (Oakton '06) and Syracuse University freshman Brittany Gardner (Park View '06).
Breighana Harris, a cousin of Anch's and the Group AAA state pitcher of the year after going 25-2 with a 0.88 ERA in leading Stone Bridge to the state final a year ago, was also an All-Met selection last spring.
Each of the hurlers have had mixed results since making the jump to the collegiate level. Anch, who was considered one of the top pitchers in the country after twice leading the Spartans to the state final (winning in 2000) and finishing with a state-record 96 career victories, struggled with the Volunteers and eventually left the program. Morrison, who threw a state-record 110 consecutive scoreless innings as a senior, has compiled a 13-7 overall record with the Hokies, but has not thrown many innings over her final two seasons in Blacksburg.
Frankiewicz, who tossed eight no-hitters in 2003 - the second-most in state history - had a solid freshman campaign with the Bears but has struggled in her second season out west. Clohan, the Group AA state pitcher of the year in 2005, went 10-10 with a 2.52 ERA as a freshman in Harrisonburg last spring and has pitched well despite entering the week with a losing record.
Gardner has been thrown right into the fire with the Orange in her first season and been an innings machine, but has struggled against Big East Conference competition thus far. McCarrick, meanwhile, who is playing about an hour from Gardner at Colgate after a standout prep career, has seen limited action early in the season.
Below are the former All-Met pitchers from our coverage area that are currently pitching in college, and their 2006 season pitching lines through Monday night...
Karie Morrison, Sr., Virginia Tech (Park View '03)
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2G, 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 K, 1 BB
Larissa Roscher, Sr., Lynchburg College (Westfield '03)
0-0, 2.25 ERA, 4 G, 8.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 10K, 3 BB
Jenny Clohan, So., James Madison University (Broad Run '05)
2-4, 1.39 ERA, 7 G, 6 GS, 35.1 IP, 32 H, 14 R, 7 ER, 23 K, 7 BB
Lauren Frankiewicz, So., University of California (Madison '05)
4-4, 2.88 ERA, 14G, 9 GS, 58.1 IP, 52H, 30 R, 24 ER, 60 K, 27 BB
Jesse McCarrick, Fr., Colgate University (Oakton '06)
1-1, 3.50 ERA, 3 G, 2 GS, 10.0 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 5 ER, 9 K, 5 BB
Brittany Gardner, Fr., Syracuse University (Park View '06)
2-9, 7.71 ERA, 14 G, 12 GS, 52.2 IP, 75 H, 69 R, 58 ER, 44 K, 54 BB
