Catching On : Moorpark College’s Ouzts Steals Bases as Easily as She Stops Runners

One great confrontation that will never take place: Malia Ouzts, the catcher, tries to throw out Malia Ouzts, the runner, on the basepaths.

“The odds are with you on the bases,” Ouzts said. “It has to be a perfect throw . . . For some catchers, that’s not too easy.”

Indeed, Ouzts is one of the few catchers in junior college softball that might throw out Ouzts the baserunner.

Many others have tried and failed. She has 25 steals in 28 attempts, which puts her on pace to match what she did last season, when she stole 52 in 59 attempts in 40 games.

“She seems to be able to run the bases better than anyone in college softball at our level,” Moorpark College Coach Will Thurston said. “Most catchers we play against know they have to be on top of their game when she’s on base.”

The same qualities that make Ouzts proficient at stealing bases--agility and quickness--make the 5-foot, 4-inch, 114-pound sophomore a standout catcher.

“Most people think of a catcher as being big and slow,” Ouzts said. “My size makes it easier for me because I can move quicker.”

Said Thurston: “You have to have a lot of agility to be a great catcher and Malia has that, along with a lot of savvy and a great arm.”

Ouzts rarely gets to test her arm, however. Few baserunners have the nerve to steal on her. “Nobody will run on her,” Thurston said. “They think she is a very good catcher and that she has an accurate arm, which she does. No runner is going to catch Malia sleeping.”

Opposing catchers wish that Ouzts would have the same respect for them. Ouzts runs in almost any situation and has been successful even on pitchouts. Her reputation has spread quickly among opponents.

“They know that if they can stop Malia from getting on base, then they’re in the ballgame,” Thurston said.

That normally isn’t possible, however. In addition to steals, Ouzts leads Moorpark with a .390 batting average and is tops in runs scored (24), hits (34) and walks (7).

Similar numbers earned Ouzts Western State Conference player of the year honors last season. She led Moorpark in seven offensive categories and was selected to the National Softball Coaches Assn. All-American and all-state teams.

Ouzts’ consistent play has attracted the attention of several Division I colleges, including Oregon State, Creighton, Arizona, Cal and Ohio State.

Such universities had no interest in Ouzts when she was a senior at Westlake High, though she batted .361 and was All-Southern Section.

“I didn’t have a lot of people calling me and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to a four-year school,” Ouzts said. “I didn’t think I would be good enough to play for one.”

Thurston never had such doubts, however.

“I knew we had a nugget on our hands,” he said. “I just couldn’t wait to spring her loose.”

And he still can’t.