Rachael Hatcher
Springfield, Ohio — Rachael Hatcher, class of 2009 from West Carrollton, Ohio, practically re-wrote the Wittenberg softball pitching record book in her collegiate career, which fittingly has been capped by a second-team All-Central Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
The all-region award is the first of Hatcher's tremendous collegiate career, coming on the heels of her fourth straight All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) designation. After claiming second-team All-NCAC in 2006 and 2007 and honorable mention in 2008, Hatcher put it all together in 2009 to claim a spot on the first team and NCAC Pitcher of the Year honors, becoming the second Tiger hurler to lay claim to the award.
Hatcher was dominant at times in 2009, highlighted by a no-hitter against Wooster on April 25. Hatcher owns the only two recorded no-hitters in school history, with a 2007 gem against Oberlin also to her credit. Named the team's Most Outstanding Player following the 2009 season, Hatcher posted a 0.98 earned run average, just 0.01 off the school record, and a remarkable 13-6 record, meaning she was the winning pitcher in 72 percent of the Tigers' 2009 victories.
For her career, Hatcher established school records for career victories (51), strikeouts (348) and innings pitched (469). In addition, Hatcher finished her career with a 2.09 ERA, second-best in school history and tops among pitchers who tossed more than 100 innings.
"Rachael was the anchor of our pitching staff," said Tiger Head Coach Becky Hall. "Any time you have a pitcher who limits opponents to as few runs as she was able to do and win more than 70 percent of the games she threw, you have a gem.
"Rachael has truly left her mark on the Wittenberg softball program. It was an honor watching her grow into the young woman that she became while attending Wittenberg."
The Tigers finished the 2009 season with an overall record of 18-20, including an 8-6 mark in the NCAC. Wittenberg finished in a fourth-place tie but missed out on a berth in the annual four-team NCAC Tournament due to tiebreaker criteria.
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