COLLEGE SOFTBALL: Added pop boosts PSU’s league hopes

Starting pitchers Latham, Rogers also keys for Vikings

By jason vondersmith

The Portland Tribune, Apr 7, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Nicole Latham’s pitching helped Portland State finish above .500 in nonleague games going into the Pacific Coast Softball Conference season.

Power and speed have been early keys for Portland State, which has a winning record heading into Pacific Coast Softball Conference play.

The Vikings, 14-12 before Wednesday’s nonleague game against Oregon, hit 18 home runs in their first 26 games, matching their total of last season.

And Portland State has been very efficient on the bases, racking up 36 steals in 44 attempts, after going 14-for-27 last year.

New coach Tobin Echo-Hawk put an emphasis on increasing the power numbers. She isn’t worried about her offense as the Vikings go into PCSC play with four games against Santa Clara, Saturday and Sunday, at Erv Lind Stadium. Senior Jackie Heide has conference bests of .421 and eight home runs, along with 23 RBIs, two behind the league leader.

PSU’s pitching, however, needs to stabilize, what with the Vikings having graduated ace Mandy Hill.

“Our offense is going to carry us,” says Echo-Hawk, who replaced Amy Hayes as the head coach when Hayes went to Bradley after last season. “Our pitchers have to step up and be more consistent. Injuries (to three pitchers) held them back. If we are successful in conference, it’ll be because of our pitchers.”

Sophomore Nicole Latham has been the early workhorse, pitching 100 1/3 innings heading into Wednesday and going 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA. She’s a screwball twirler from San Bernardino, Calif., and had thrown complete games in 10 of 13 outings.

But the Vikings could be even better, should junior Tori Rogers recover from a broken foot. She’s 3-1 with a 2.04 ERA in only 24 innings. She broke her foot celebrating a home run against DePaul on Feb. 15, a game she won on the mound, and returned last week from the injury.

“She pitched our win against DePaul, which was ranked No. 17 at the time, and she became our go-to pitcher,” Echo-Hawk says.

Rogers, a New Mexico transfer, throws five pitches, including a slow curve, rise and drop.

After she got hurt, “we had to rely on Nicole,” Echo-Hawk says. “Now that Tori has come back and pitched a couple innings (allowing one hit in three innings versus Seattle), I’m really happy going into conference.”

Veteran Jessi Even also has thrown some innings.

Heide, from West Salem High, exploded on to the scene as a freshman as Portland State won the PCSC title and went to the NCAA playoffs. She tailed off the past two seasons, but with a strong senior year going, she needs only four homers to break Hill’s school record of 31.

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