2008 Woodie Awards
Softball: Normandin's play evolves over season
Steve Games, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 5/8/08 Section: Sports
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During her freshman season, she played sparingly as she started in nine games playing behind senior Candice Molinari, who had a career year, hitting .401. With Molinari graduating, the centerfield position opened up.
Normandin knew UMass coach Elaine Sortino wouldn't hand her the starting position. She went into practice every day thinking it could be anyone, so she had to push herself.
"There was a lot of competition for who was going to start in centerfield," Normandin said. "You just have to go out there everyday at practice not knowing who's going to play. So you just have to go out and work very hard."
Sortino feels Normandin is one of the best athletes on the team, but coming out of high school she still needed work before she could play everyday.
"She was very raw and had athletic talent that needed to feel and learn the game," Sortino said.
When her skill caught up to her athleticism, Normandin was named to the A-10 All Conference First Team. She hit .336 with six home runs and a team high 36 RBIs. Pretty good for someone hitting in the nine spot on a deep UMass team.
"She's [become] a formable hitter because she's finally trusting her athleticism," Sortino said.
It wasn't all coming together in the early part of the season when UMass traveled on the road to play some of the top teams in the nation, which included, among many others, Arizona, Texas A&M and UCLA. At the beginning of the season, Normandin split time with junior outfielder Davina Hernandez and Sortino had her second in the batting order. With Normandin struggling, Sortino moved her to the ninth spot.
"Even if you look at the way she started, she wasn't consistent because she didn't trust herself and didn't have the playing experience of a young thoroughbred," Sortino said.
"[Coach Sortino] knew that I could do it, and she just wanted me to believe in my athleticism and let my natural talent take over and to not think about it," Normandin said.
Normandin thrived in the ninth spot and after playing on the road for the first half of the season, UMass started playing home games and A-10 opponents. She exploded in A-10 play, batting .436. She felt the move in the batting order helped because there is less pressure in the ninth spot. She feels that she is gaining an advantage by seeing the pitchers approach against the first eight batters.
"It was our hope that Carly would break out this year because what she needed was the time and the opportunity," Sortino said.
Normandin hasn't got much advice lately from Sortino, as the team is about to play in the A-10 Tournament in North Carolina today.
"Usually when people are hitting well, she tends not to say anything really because it's working, but obviously at practice she is still tweaking my swing and stuff, [but] no big adjustments," Normandin said.
When the team ERA is 0.96 and junior pitcher Brandice Balschmiter is throwing no-hitters on a daily basis, it seems there aren't many opportunity for Normandin in centerfield. However, when the ball is hit to deep center, there is a good chance Normandin will make a spectacular catch or throw a player out trying to advance a base.
"I think, 'Thank God she hasn't had to make too many sensational plays for us,' but I can tell you that I have three ESPN [top plays] this year and they all belong to her," Sortino said about Normandin's defense. "She made a diving catch against Michigan State that is the best catch I've seen in my coaching tenure, and I've seen a lot of great catches."
Pitchers tend to overlook hitters in the nine spot. However, Sortino disagrees after Normandin's performance lately. In the Minutewomen's last A-10 matchup against St. Bonaventure, she came to the plate with the team trailing, 1-0. The Bonnies needed one more out to end the Minutewomen's perfect A-10 season, but Normandin hit a double, knocking in two runs for the win. She also tied a UMass record with seven straight hits over a three-game stretch. During that strong week (five games) she batted .571 with 14 RBIs and earned A-10 Player of the Week.
"I don't think teams are overlooking her anymore. The book's out, the word's out," Sortino said. "It's kind of hard to ignore her numbers now."
Steve Games can be reached at sgames@dailycollegian.com.
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