March 3, 2008

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -

By Brady Henderson, WWU sports information office

Jessica Rosencrants' journey to Western Washington University began a long way from Bellingham - 2,305 miles to be exact.

The junior pitcher from Sequim started her collegiate softball career in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at Southeast Missouri State, which she left following her freshman year. After a stop last year at Peninsula CC in Port Angeles, Rosencrants made her way to Western.

Rosencrants has posted a 6-2 record with a 1.56 earned run average and two saves in 10 appearances this season for the Vikings, who are the defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions.

She was recruited to be the ace of Western's staff with the graduation of 2007 GNAC Pitcher of the Year Jackie Quint and the transition to her third school in as many years has been seamless on and off the field.

"She's adjusted well and has fit right in with the rest of the team," said Western head coach Lonnie Hicks. "The team is totally confident when she's on the mound. Jessica is a very confident pitcher and she's always mentally under control."

Rosencrants was named GNAC Pitcher of the Week for her mid-February performance in the Division II Lead-Off Classic at Phoenix, Arizona. There she struck out 25 batters in 28 innings, setting a school record by retiring 28 straight, and throwing a one-hit shutout against Montana State Billings.

At last week's Central Washington Invitational, Rosencrants again won three of four decisions and had a save. She struck out 10 and scattered four hits in a 1-0, eight-inning shutout versus the host Wildcats. In the circle, Rosencrants is a finesse pitcher, relying on location and control rather than overpowering speed.

"I don't throw that hard, but I just try to rely on movement," she said. "I just throw to my spots. I try to mix up my speed a lot and keep batters off balance."

Hicks said Rosencrants' effectiveness is based on her ability to change speeds and keep batters guessing.

"She's just an all-around excellent pitcher," said Hicks. Her changeup, curve, and screwball are all absolutely dynamite, and she's moving her pitches around with different speeds all the time. She'll pop a 58 mile-per-hour fastball at you, then throw you a 47 mile-per-hour changeup, and follow that with a 50 mile-per-hour screwball. Trying to get good timing on her is very hard to do. She's very tough to hit."

Rosencrants credits the coaching staff and her teammates for helping ease her adjustment to a new school and a new team.

"I wanted to stay closer to home and attend school somewhere that I would go anyway if I didn't play softball," explained Rosencrants, who struck out 567 and walked just 16 in posting a 61-9 record at Carlmont (Belmont, Calif.) and Sequim high schools. "We have seven freshmen this year, so more than half the team is new, and that has made it easier."

As for the rest of the season, Rosencrants' goals are clear. "I want to win every game I pitch," she said. "I just want to stay consistent and keep getting better with each game."

Western, 9-4, begins GNAC play Thursday (1 p.m.), entertaining Montana State Billings at Viking Field on the WWU campus.