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Queen of the mound

Ace pitcher in pursuit of conference crown

April 21, 2003

On a team with a young, unproven pitching staff, junior pitcher Jessica Beech has put the MSU softball team on her back and has the team in the thick of the Big Ten conference race.

After being No. 2 in the Spartans' rotation the last two seasons, the Okemos native has flourished as the Spartans' ace. Her 20 victories are just nine shy of tying the MSU record for wins in a single season.

And although this is her first season being the ace in MSU's bullpen, she has always shown promise. In her freshman campaign, the right-hander led the team with a 2.54 ERA and tied for the team lead in wins with eight. Last season, Beech combined with then-senior Becky Gray to throw MSU's first-ever perfect game, hurling the final three innings and striking out four batters.

In 21 starts this season, the hurler has an impressive 0.99 ERA., 173 strikeouts and 21 complete games.

"Jessica Beech is having one of those years," head coach Jacquie Joseph said. "I've been here 10 years, and I've only seen two pitchers like that. She's in very good company. She works very, very hard, and she's very deserving of the success. She is a big factor in our success and will continue to be."

In a sport where pitching is paramount, Joseph said her team can only go as far as Beech's right arm will take it. And while that credit might be greatly deserved, Beech remains humble and is quick to pass the credit to others.

"I'm really lucky I have a great pitching coach," she said. "Amanda Scott was such a great pitcher. She's such a smart pitcher. I have so much respect for her."

Beech said a high level of confidence, along with a great defense and excellent run production are important factors in her success this season.

That success also can be attributed to her plethora of pitches.

The righty uses a curveball, screwball, riseball, dropball, and the change-up, which is her favorite.

"The curve and the screwball compliment each other," Beech said. "They work each side of the plate and give a hitter two different perspectives. The rise- and the dropball compliment each other too. You're not supposed to throw the rise for a strike. You're just supposed to get the hitter to swing at it. Same with the drop.

"(The change-up) makes hitters think. And it's the pitch that has improved the most for me. I just like to throw it consistently for a strike."

Beech has had several opportunities to showcase her pitches, appearing in 30 of MSU's 42 games. With the strain on her arm, she receives numerous treatments to keep her healthy, including anti-inflammatory medicine and pain killers.

"I'm holding up," Beech said. "This season has been too exciting to get tired. It's not like baseball where (the arm) gets sore. It gets fatigued, but it's worth it when we win, so I'll take it."

Beech is close friends with her catcher, senior Lacy Hauxhurst. And that off-the- field relationship translates on the field as well.

"I'm perfectly comfortable with her as a pitcher, and she's the same with me," Hauxhurst said. "I think it's a bit of a relief that she doesn't have to worry about a lot of things by having me out there."

Although Beech suffered two losses this weekend, she will still get strong consideration for Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. But she would rather carry her team to glory.

"Winning awards and breaking records is always good," she said. "But I'd pick winning the conference and making the NCAAs over individual stuff any day."

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