College softball: North Georgia rides Ohio talent to top of division
Sunday, May 2, 2010 3:00 AM
By Steve Blackledge
With no Mel Kiper-types to spew the strengths and weaknesses of high school players and no one-stop combine to assess talent, college softball recruiting is an inexact science.
If a player has scholarship-worthy ability, recruiters are simply expected to find her through high school and summer-league competition. As a two-time, first-team All-Ohio pitcher at Olentangy Liberty with a fastball clocked at 65 mph, Sarah Phillips thought she was college material.
"Did I think I was Division I? I don't know that and I still don't," she said. "At one time, Georgia Tech was recruiting me, but that fell through. A school in New Jersey offered me a scholarship and, since it was the only one, I was ready to accept it. Then, things finally happened for me."
Based on a recommendation from another coach who already had an ace pitcher, an assistant from Division II power North Georgia drove to Tennessee to watch Phillips in a spring-break showcase event during her senior season.
Immediately after it, Phillips and her family drove to Dahlonega, Ga., to meet coach Mike Davenport and visit the campus. It turned out to be an ideal match.
Riding the strong, rubbery right arm of Phillips, North Georgia is 45-0 and ranked No.1 in the nation entering the NCAA Tournament beginning May 14. The junior is 38-0 with an ERA of 0.79. In 33 complete games, Phillips has notched 20 shutouts. She has 248 strikeouts and three saves.
"Getting somebody all the way from Columbus, Ohio, on a team consisting completely of Georgia girls is a stroke of luck," Davenport said. "What she's done here has been unbelievable."
Phillips went 20-9 as a freshman, then improved to 39-3 last season as North Georgia (50-5) was ousted in the College World Series semifinals. With her incredible start, she is zeroing in on both the Division II (40) and all-divisions (43) record for consecutive victories.
"I had never heard of North Georgia before," said Phillips, who was born in Canada and spent a few years of her childhood in Georgia. "I was open-minded to leaving Ohio for college all along. On my visit, I loved the small-town atmosphere, the campus, the facilities, the coach and the fact that the softball program was so strong. Everything here felt right."
An education major who hopes to coach someday, Phillips insisted that her success is merely a byproduct of the Saints' excellent hitting and defense. Davenport, however, said his ace is never satisfied.
"She's a big, strong kid with an incredible work ethic," he said. "From day one, she was a sponge as far as learning how to get better. Sure, Sarah throws hard and at times can overpower hitters, but her ability to throw different pitches and hit her spots is what sets her apart at this level."
As the driving force and focal point of a No.1-ranked team, Phillips deals with pressure on a continual basis. But she tackles it philosophically.
"If you can't handle the pressure of being under the spotlight, you shouldn't be a pitcher," she said. "I use that challenge as motivation all the time. I try not to let too much stuff get into my head. When things get tough, I look behind me and see what an amazing defense I have to support me. It reminds me that my job is simply to get people out."
Phillips seems uncomfortable talking about the magical season she and her team are enjoying.
"This whole season has been kind of surreal," she said. "Ever since the beginning of the season, we've been so focused on getting back to the World Series and, hopefully, winning it, I haven't really had to time to think about what we've achieved. It's hard to soak things in when you're still in the moment."
sblackledge@dispatch.com
