Irvineâs Brundage the Consummate Pitcher
Mention softball and Irvine High in the same breath, and Jennifer Brundageâs name is sure to follow.
For the past four seasons, Brundage has been one of the premier pitchers in the county and Irvineâs ace. Last year, for example, she won 21 games, pitched four no-hitters and was an all-county selection. She also batted .424.
But even Brundageâs stellar work could not get the Vaqueros past the first round of the Southern Section 3-A playoffs in 1990. There is no such disappointment this season.
Irvine (24-3) not only managed to survive the opening round of the playoffs this year, but the Vaqueros find themselves in the title game of Division 4-A tonight at 8 against Foothill (24-2) at Mayfair Park in Lakewood.
A victory, Brundage said, would erase the memory of being ousted from the playoffs so quickly last year and would be a marvelous conclusion to her softball career at Irvine.
âItâs been a goal of mine since I was a freshman,â Brundage said. âI think this has been the best year weâve had. It would be a great ending.â
Brundage has been the catalyst of the team, providing excellent punch with the bat, and a solid and reliable workhorse at pitcher for Coach Lisa Limp. The senior right-hander is 20-2 with an 0.12 earned-run average, 213 strikeouts and one no-hitter. She has blanked three playoff opponents--including a 16-inning victory over Sunny Hills--and allowed one run over 37 innings.
She also leads the team in batting with a .432 average, in runs batted in with 21 and in triples with five.
With statistics that sound too good to be true, Limp said Brundage is a coachâs dream.
âShe has shown 100% commitment and dedication, which means a lot to the other team members and to me,â said Limp, in her third year with the team. âShe has shown the leadership. Sheâs always working just as hard as the other players.â
Brundage said that work ethic has been fueled this season by her supporting cast, which has made things easier for her. The defense has been strong, with sure-handed Brandi Armstrong (.937 fielding percentage) at shortstop and Alleah Poulson (.989) at first base, and speedy Carrie Caudill in center field. Lisa Goodwin has been steady behind the plate.
âOur defense has been really great this year,â Brundage said. âI havenât had nearly as much stress as the past years.â
That suffering shifted this year to the batters who faced Brundage. Itâs been a common affliction for opposing teams since Brundage began pitching in girlsâ leagues when she was about 8, after a year in boysâ T-ball.
Besides having good pop on her fastball, Brundage relies on a variety of pitches--drops, curves, changeups. Add some savvy to that arsenal and itâs easy to see why Brundage has been so successful.
âSheâs a very smart pitcher,â Limp said. âShe keeps the batters off-balance. When sheâs on, sheâs got a lot of movement on the ball.â
Brundage says she wonât worry if one or more of her pitches doesnât work properly tonight. As with all good pitchers, she has learned to adjust.
âIâm just going to go out and pitch,â Brundage said. âWhatever works is the pitch Iâll probably stick with.â
Though Brundage typically makes more headlines with her pitching, it was her explosive bat that prompted UCLA to offer her a scholarship. Sheâll play for the Bruins next season, most likely in the outfield. But Brundage said her position on the field is not that important.
âIâm looking forward to playing wherever they put me,â she said. âIâm looking to be a part of the softball tradition theyâve got there.â
For someone who has done her bit to launch a similar tradition at Irvine, the move should be a natural.
Section Softball: Todayâs 4-A Final At Mayfair Park, Lakewood, 8 p.m.
THE LINEUPS:
IRVINE (24-3) FOOTHILL (24-2) Name Pos. Avg. Name Pos. Avg. Angela Wolf LF .274 Melissa Wielandt 3B .354 Brandi Armstrong SS .253 Amy Tessman 2B .171 Jennifer Brundage P .432 Kelley Green C .378 Karissa Meith 2B .281 Kathy Shortall SS .343 Shelley Byrd 3B .233 Christina Mazurie 1B .278 Carly Girton RF .411 Andrea Chambers RF .269 Lisa Goodwin C .188 Julie Metzger LF .203 Carrie Caudill CF .185 Leeann Gonzalez P .229 Alleah Poulson 1B .235 Julie Ehret CF .106
IRVINE (24-3) FOOTHILL (24-2) Name Pos. W-L Name Pos. W-L Jennifer Brundage P 20-2 Leeann Gonzalez P 21-2
IF IRVINE IS GOING TO WIN: Vaquero Coach Lisa Limp figures Irvine has to play excellent defense to defeat Foothill. âWeâll have to always think ahead of the runners because I know they are a very aggressive team,â Limp said. Offensively, Limp said sheâs looking for her team to âjust make contact.â Irvine has won three of its four playoff games by shutouts. The Vaqueros are making their first appearance in a Southern Section championship game.
IF FOOTHILL IS GOING TO WIN: Knight Coach Joe Gonzalez said his team needs to keep runners off base to win. âIf we can scratch a run or two and donât put ourselves in a position where one batter can hurt us, Iâd feel real good about our prospects,â Gonzalez said. The Century League champions, which had never won more than one playoff game before, are riding a 22-game winning streak. They have a combined .258 team batting average.
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