Throughout the years, softball has had its share of great players. The player that everyone depends on is the pitcher. They can make or break the success of a team. Some pitchers have high-velocity fastballs, while others have great change-ups, rise balls, drop balls, or even curve balls. The star pitchers have changed the game. They are what separate a great team from a dominant team. There are many great pitchers but some of them stand out above all of the rest.
Jennie Finch
Jennie Finch is the first pitcher that comes to mind when talking about softball pitching. Finch was a dominant pitcher on the mound for the University of Arizona, Team USA, and the Chicago Bandits. According to Official Site Jennie Finch she has won many championships throughout her career. At Arizona she led her team to the 2001 NCAA National Championship. She won an Olympic Gold medal in 2004 and a Silver medal in 2008. In 2005 she was National Fastpitch pitcher of the year. Jennie is also known for her partnership with MIzuno.
She is the longtime face of the Mizuno fastpitch line from gloves, cleats, batting gloves, and apparel. She also is famous for striking out many Major League baseball players over the years. Some famous players she has struck out are Albert Pujols, Mike Piazza, Barry Bonds, and many others. According to Fan Arch, Jennie pitched at a speed of 65 to 75 mph. These speeds from the softball distance are equivalent to a 100 mph baseball pitch. Her speed and success came from her mechanics, physical conditioning, and mental toughness. Jennie Finch is one of the best softball players to ever play the game.
Monica Abbott
When you talk about dominant pitchers to play softball, you have to talk about Monica Abbott. According to About – Monica Abbott “The powerhouse left-handed pitcher has achievements including 17 different championship titles, 2 Olympic Silver Medals with Team USA, and multiple Most Valuable Player awards. In 2016, Monica signed a landmark $1 million contract with the Scrap Yard Dawgs of the National Pro Fastpitch League, opening the door for those in the sport of softball.”
Monica holds the record for the fastest softball pitch ever thrown at 77 MPH. This is equivalent to over 100 MPH for a baseball pitch. Monica holds NCAA career records with 189 career victories, 112 shutouts, and 2,440 strikeouts. She also holds the single season record for strikeouts with 724. You can not talk about dominant pitchers in the history of the game of softball without talking about Monica Abbott. She is considered one of, if not the best softball pitcher to ever play the game.
Cat Osterman
Cat Osterman was known for her riseball, drop ball, and her famous change up. According to Cat Osterman she was a three time National Player of the Year, a four time All-American, and a two time Olympic Medalist. She also led her University of Texas team to three World Series appearances. She played 20 years with Team USA and had a career record of 74 wins and 5 losses while striking out 1,030 batters in 519 innings with a 0.44 ERA. Cat is regarded as one of the best softball players to ever play the game.
According to Cat Osterman Spin Master Cat only threw around 65 MPH but “Her drop is her signature pitch, but what sets her apart is her mastery of spin and location on all of her pitches, using them to make the drop ball even more dominant. With true spin on her curveball, changeup and riseball, she can pair these different planes and speeds with the drop.” When talking about great softball pitchers, Cat is always at the top of the list. Her accomplishments and titles are second to none. Cat was a dominant pitcher for over 20 years. She was the master of locating her pitches, and that is what made her so successful.
Montana Fouts
A current star in the softball world is Montana Fouts. A 2023 graduate of the University of Alabama. According to Montana Fouts – USA Softball, Montana was a three time finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, First Team All-SEC selection 3 times, SEC Freshman of the Year, among many other awards. Montana is a World Games and World Cup Gold Medal winner. She has earned many awards and accolades for a young star in the sport of softball.
Athletes Unlimited-Montana Fouts says that she was a five year letter winner at Alabama. She appeared 160 times with 121 starts. Fouts had 100 wins to just 32 losses with a 1.66 ERA and 1,181 career strikeouts. She also threw four perfect games and five no-hitters. She was one of 14 players selected in the Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball College Draft. Montana Fouts is an up and coming star in the softball world. With softball back in the Olympics she will have her opportunity to lead Team USA to a Gold Medal.
Others
Over the years there have been a lot of great softball pitchers to enter the circle. The ones listed above along with others like Lisa Fernandez, Amanda Scarabo, Paige Lowery, and many more have helped shape the game of softball. These dominant pitchers have been the face of the game for many years and in the case of Montana Fouts, she is the next up and coming star. There have been a lot of great softball teams over the years, but all of those great teams have one thing in common, they had a great pitcher. Who will be the next star to win a National Title and help Team USA bring home a Gold Medal. We can’t wait to find out!
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