Pitchers hitting their prime
Simply put, Jenna Kubesch can play ball.
It’s tough to find any other words to describe the play of the sophomore pitcher from Texas. After a standout rookie season at Georgia College & State University, in which, among other accomplishments, she recorded the first no-hitter of her collegiate career, Kubesch is up to her old tricks again this season.
Sporting the number 13 on the back of her jersey, (a number with a reputation that rang true for the Carson Newman squad), Kubesch tossed the second no-hitter in as many seasons, striking out 10 batters in the process, on Saturday, Feb. 19 in the Lady Bobcat Softball Classic.
Kubesch didn’t reserve her energy for the mound when she was at the plate, either. Batting in the cleanup spot, she went a cool 4-4 with two RBI and helped the Lady Bobcats finish off Carson Newman on their way to defeating Valdosta State 9-8 in the championship game to take the tournament. Needless to say, Kubesch’s efforts are appreciated by her coaches.
When asked about Kubesch’s role on the team, Interim Coach Ginger Miller summed it all up in a few words.
“All I can tell you is that she’s the starting pitcher for most of our games and she bats cleanup. She’s a big part of the team.”
Kubesch has been reaping the benefits of her killer right arm and sharp eye at the plate for quite a while now. At Weimar High School in Texas, she won the 2A and Tri-County Most Valuable Player award in each of her last three seasons, leading her school to two back-to-back AA State Championships in the process.
As a freshman last year for the Lady Bobcats, she led the GC&SU pitching staff, posting a 19-4 record with a 1.47 ERA, striking out 192 batters in 148 innings. Kubesch also collected some hardware along the way, earning All-Peach Belt Conference and First Team All-Region honors. She also set a new GC&SU record for strikeouts in a game, fanning 15 en route to a one-hit shutout against Catawba last year.
Kubesch’s flabbergasting success continues this season. In 12 scheduled games, she has posted a 6-1 record with a miniscule 0.59 ERA. She’s mowed down 72 batters over 47.2 innings, walking only 11. She’s been a work horse on the mound, pitching 61percent of the Lady Bobcat’s innings. Heading into Tuesday’s matchup with Lander, the Lady Bobcats were 8-4 and in good position to make a run at the Peach belt Conference title.
To top it all off, Kubesch and the Lady Bobcats will pack their bags and head to paradise over Spring Break. After their March 2nd meeting with West Georgia, the team is off to Hawaii for a week-long series of games against Hawaii Pacific, Chaminade, and BYU Hawaii. They will not return home until Saturday, March 26, when they take on North Florida in Milledgeville at 1:00 p.m.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Mar 4 2005. Filed under Sports.
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