It has been said that defense wins championships, and the anchor of the defense for the Grand Valley State University softball team is its pitching staff, a group that features a strong mix of upperclassmen led by senior Andrea Nicholson and junior Hannah Santora.

“I started pitching when I was 11 in a rec league,” Nicholson said. “Our pitcher was sick or on vacation. I volunteered to do it and the next thing I knew I was getting pitching lessons, practicing four times a week, and now I am here.”

In her fourth year on the Laker softball team, Nicholson entered the 2012 season ranked No. 10 on the Lakers’ all-time strikeouts list with 224. Last year she was the top pitcher for GVSU, going 20-8 with a 2.81 ERA while striking out 115 batters in 171.2 innings pitched. When Nicholson took the mound, the Lakers were 23-9, and providing her team with a solid opportunity to win when she pitches is something she hopes to continue to improve on this season.

“My goal for when I am out there is always to just give my team the best chance to win the game, whether it is not letting the other team score any runs, or holding them down to one run, or two,” she said. “My main goal is to give my team a shot.”

Santora, on the other hand, is in her second year at GVSU after transferring from Kankakee Community College in Kankakee,
Ill. She brings a little different perspective to the mound than Nicholson, but has the tools to contribute immensely.

“My perspective of pitching is just to strike batters out, get ground balls, do good for my team,” Santora said. “I don’t really think much when I am on the mound. I started when I was 10 and have just kept pitching ever since. I was so used to striking out people in high school, but I think now I want to get more ground balls and pop-ups. I just want to throw the ball and get the other team’s hitters out.”

While it was only her first year at GV last season, Santora ranked ninth in the GLIAC in opposing batting average (.281), finished with an 11-3 record, and gave up a conference-low two home runs in 96.2 innings pitched.

Sophomore Kayla Hurd and freshman Sarah Wyse round out the rotation this season, looking to Nicholson and Santora for veteran advice and leadership. Junior Katie Martin was also involved in the rotation last year, but has since began to strictly focus on the designated player role this season.

“Last year when I didn’t pitch, I would play DH. It wasn’t that big of a transition,” Martin said. “You don’t have to worry about making an error or doing something wrong. You can solely focus on hitting. I have to be focused and confident, just go up there and swing the bat. That is my role and I just have to accept it and know that it is my job.”

Martin was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association First Team All-American last season and also earned recognition as the Daktronics National Player of the Year.

Her bat led the Lakers last year in the following categories: batting average (.468), doubles (18), home runs (20), RBI (65), at-bats (186), hits (87), runs (52), walks (30), total bases (167), slugging percentage (.898) and on-base percentage (.543).

With the strong pitching Nicholson and Santora bring to the table and hot bat Martin swings, the Lakers are poised to make a deep playoff run this season.

“I think we definitely have all the pieces to go far, but there is a lot that goes in to getting to that point,” Nicholson said. “Some of it is a little bit of luck, who you are paired up against in the postseason, whether the ball is foul or fair. We certainly have the potential.”

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