By Dave Krider
MaxPreps.com
Dial the cell phone number of Cathleen "Cat" Hosfield and you will be greeted by the melodious sounds of "Swing batter, batter! Swing batter, batter!"
As a junior last spring, the All-American pitcher from Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), indeed, did have opposing batters swinging - often and unsuccessfully. They were so futile, in fact, that she was able to set a national record with an incredible 659 strikeouts for a single season. The record had been 657 by Anna Thompson of Grissom (Huntsville, Ala.) in 2006.
The record came on a mixed-bag day, because the Warriors lost, 6-1, to Mt. Juliet in the Class AAA state semifinals. "We were all sad about the loss," she noted. "So there wasn't any celebration at all. It was the end of the season and we were sad to say goodbye to the seniors. Everybody was crying."
Looking back, she added, "It really was rewarding. It shows how hard I had worked in the past."
The strikeout record truly was remarkable because she pitched the last three and one-half games with a severely sprained right ankle. She wound up shutting out Knoxville Central, 5-0, after falling off the slippery mound in the fourth inning. She later beat Mt. Juliet, 4-1, before losing to Soddy Daisy, 2-1, and Mt. Juliet, 6-1.
"I knew I was the only person to pitch," she related. "I said (to herself), `Well, I guess I'll just have to tape it up.' I wouldn't see a doctor until after the state tournament was over. I had to take numerous Advils to alleviate the pain. I didn't complain because it would bring my teammates' confidence level down. I only told my mom."
Riverdale coach Jeff Breeden says, "She's amazing. There's no telling how many times she has struck out the side. Her work ethic is her best asset. There's not a day goes by where she doesn't work on her game. She is a tireless worker and wants her game to be at the highest level it can be."
The 5-9, 145-pound right-hander also placed her name high in two other national categories: tied for third with 44 victories (against five losses) and tied for fourth with 31 shutouts. She averaged an amazing 14.75 strikeouts per seven-inning game. She hurled seven no-hitters, three perfect games and 17 one-hitters. In 257 innings, she allowed just 84 hits and walked only 28. Her earned run average was a microscopic 0.31.
Even more stunning was a streak covering little more than two weeks during which she fired 16 consecutive shutouts - including three no-hitters.
"I never thought about having to pitch a shutout every time, but I always tried to put a zero on the board to help my team win more easily," she said of the remarkable streak. "My coaches do a good job of not telling me about records. They tell me after the game is over."
Hosfield has a wicked curve and her fastball has been clocked as high as 64 miles per hour. She also has a baffling dropball and screwball.
Ever since she started playing T-ball at age five, Hosfield has been fascinated by the center of the diamond. "I really liked hitting and running and the person in the circle," she explained. "The coach was there and he had a fielder. I thought it was cool to have a circle around you and you be in the center."
Asked why she wanted to begin pitching at age nine, Hosfield told her mother, Anne, "Because when I pitch, everybody looks at me." She had nicknamed herself "Cat" one year earlier, so it wasn't too surprising that in her first game as a pitcher she painted her face to look like a cat.
She wasn't exactly an overnight sensation, however. "The first game I think I hit 11 people," she said. It took her about a year to get good control and today that is one of her greatest assets. Her 14-and-under team won the NSA Nationals.
She made the Riverdale varsity as a freshman, but she was sidelined by a knee injury just past mid-season and had to have minor surgery. As the No. 2 pitcher she still compiled a 13-1 record with a 1.03 ERA. In 75 innings, she struck out 123, walked only three and gave up 43 hits. She fired one no-hitter and seven shutouts.
As a sophomore, she posted a 36-5 record with a 0.35 ERA. She struck out 497, walked 28 and gave up 84 hits in 241.3 innings. She hurled six no-hitters, two perfect games and 24 shutouts. In a five-inning rout of Tullahoma she struck out all 15 batters.
After recovering from her junior-year injury in late July, Hosfield went to Oklahoma City, Okla., to pitch for the outstanding OC Batbusters of Santa Ana, Calif. She blanked the Southern Cal Choppers, 4-0, in the semifinals of the ASA 18-and-under Gold Nationals. The Choppers had several players from Valencia, Calif., which was the No. 1-ranked team in the nation last spring.
"I really wanted to take my team to the championship game and I really dug deep," she said of her superlative performance. "They had a lot of quality people and I was really pleased to shut them out." Unfortunately the Batbusters lost the title game, 5-4, to the Worth Firecrackers.
Hosfield enters her senior year with a 3.2 GPA and a love for marketing. She plans to study sports marketing when she enters the University of Tennessee in the fall of 2008. She is especially impressed by the equality that UT gives to its men's and women's athletic teams.
She tries to be a positive role model for younger athletes, especially pitchers. Her own role models are Lisa Fernandez and Taran Mowatt.
What can she do for an encore? Says coach Breeden, "We've still got a state championship to get before she leaves here. It would take a lot of luck to break her record again. She has set her sights on moving up in the career strikeout records."
Adds Anne Hosfield, "She's very competitive and has nerves of steel. She's driven to be the best at what she does. I would not be surprised if she breaks other records next year."
Basketball Notes
* Kenny Boynton has enrolled at American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) for his junior year. The 6-2 Boynton, who transferred from state champion Pompano Beach Ely, will join forces with 6-10 Eloy Vargas to form a powerful 1-2 punch. They helped Team Breakdown win the 17-and-under National AAU Tournament earlier this summer.
* This year's Circle City Classic Challenge of Champions will be held Dec. 8 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. It will feature such individual Hoosier stars as 6-7 sophomore DeShaun Thomas (Fort Wayne Luers), 6-9 junior Stephan Van Treese (Indianapolis Lawrence North), 6-11 senior Angel Garcia (East Chicago Central), 6-2 Walter Offutt (Indianapolis Warren Central) and 6-3 Julius Mays (Marion).
* Coach B.K. Crowder has left Antioch, Tenn., which has five returning starters and will be one of the favorites to win the Class AAA state title. Crowder has been hired at Immokalee, Fla., where he will coach girls golf and either baseball or softball. He cited a desire to live in Florida and a "hefty raise" as reasons for giving up a shot at a state championship ring.
* Baltimore St. Frances senior Sean Mosley has made a commitment to attend the University of Maryland. The versatile 6-4, 200-pounder averaged 21 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 4.0 steals and 3.5 blocks as a junior.
* The University of Alabama has received a commitment from John Carroll Catholic (Birmingham, Ala.) senior guard Andrew Steele. The 6-3 standout averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds for a 31-6 team as a junior. He also is an outstanding quarterback, who passed for 2,367 yards and 14 touchdowns, in addition to rushing for a team-high 505 yards last year.
* Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.) senior James Rahon has made a commitment to Santa Clara. The 6-4 shooting guard averaged 26.8 points as a junior.
* Sophomore Samantha Drake says she plans to attend the University of Kentucky in two years. The 6-2 Drake averaged 22.5 points and 11 rebounds for Bardstown Nelson County last year and will be among favorites for Kentucky's Miss Basketball when she is a senior.
* Senior guards Andrell and Andrea Smith have made a commitment to the University of South Florida. Andrea averaged 20.7 points last year, while Andrell averaged 13.4 points at Lake Gibson (Lakeland, Fla.).
* Stanford University has received a commitment from Sarah Boothe of Warren Township (Gurnee, Ill.). The 6-5 standout is ranked among the nation's top 25 players.
Football Notes
* Four-time Indiana defending state champion Warren Central (Indianapolis) lost its season opener, 17-10, to Merrillville, snapping a 21-game winning streak. The Warriors, who made six turnovers, may be challenged in their own city by Ben Davis, which opened with an explosive 46-37 victory over another Indianapolis team, Perry Meridian. Tandon Doss scored on an 88-yard kick-off return, a 55-yard run and a 35-yard pass and LaVarus Williams scored on a 62-yard punt return. Perry Meridian senior quarterback Adam Wiese passed for 375 yards to set a school career record with 4,013 yards.
* Hockey standout Joe Barkley decided to try football as a senior at Alaska's Wasilla High and the results were quite rewarding. In his first game since seventh grade, the 5-7, 147-pounder made three interceptions - returning one for a 33-yard touchdown - during a 41-6 victory over Eagle River.
* South Jordan Bingham left little doubt it is the new power in Utah with a decisive 34-7 opening victory against perennial state power Salt Lake City Skyline. Sam Langi ran for 234 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries as the Miners' winning streak reached 15 games.
* A torn ACL in his right knee may cost quarterback Tyler Tettleton his junior year at Norman North in Oklahoma. Already a two-year starter, Tettleton threw for 1,852 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He is the son of former Texas Rangers player Mickey Tettleton.
* Columbine (Littleton, Colo.) lineman Curtis Cunningham has made a commitment to the University of Colorado. The 6-2, 270-pounder, who has 3.5 grades, was named defensive player of the year as a junior by the Denver Post.
Gymnastics Notes
* Though she's only beginning her sophomore year at Valley Southwoods (West Des Moines, Iowa), Shawn Johnson already is the No. 1 women's gymnast in the USA. After being crowned national junior champion last year, she moved up to senior women and captured the coveted all-around title with 123.650 points during last week's Visa Championships in San Jose, Calif., over the weekend. The personable Johnson also won the balance beam (31.850) and floor exercise (30.850).
John Orozco of Bronx, N.Y., dominated the boys 14-15 age group. Orozco, who attends Felisa Rincon de Institute for Law and Public Policy, won all-around with 83.900 points. He also won parallel bars (14.750), still rings (14.050) and horizontal bar.
Volleyball Notes
* PrepVolleyball.com has named Kentucky power Louisville Assumption preseason No. 1 in the nation. The Rockets, who have seven seniors expected to get Division I scholarships, were 41-2 last year and ranked second in the USA. They have won 13 state titles since 1992. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) is No. 2 and Amarillo (Texas) is No. 3.
* Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas) senior Nneka Ogwumike had 19 kills in an opening four-game victory over Cinco Ranch. The 6-2 standout also is one of the nation's most highly-ranked basketball players.
Golf Notes
* Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) senior Jeffrey Weisheit shot a sizzling 10-under-par 62 during the second round of the Randy Smith Classic in Lubbock, Texas to tie the American Junior Golf Association record for most strokes under par. The record was set in 2002 by Stewart Whitt. He tied for 15th in the 54-hole field with a 2-under-par 214. Stratford (Houston, Texas) senior James Kwon won with a 10-under-par 206.
Then in the girls field, Julie Yang of Phoenix, Ariz., became the second-youngest AJGA champion ever at age 12. She shot three-under-par 213 and came out on top following a three-way sudden-death playoff.
Potpourri
* Legendary Indiana wrestling coach Mike Goebel has resigned at Evansville Mater Dei. In 29 years, Goebel compiled a remarkable 533-14-2 dual-meet record for a national-record winning percentage of .974. He won 12 state championships - nine in a row from 1995-2003 - and his wrestlers captured 22 individual state titles. He was named national coach of the year twice and state coach of the year eight times. Goebel remains head football coach where he has posted a 104-26 record and won the 2000 Class 2A state title. Greg Schaefer, a two-time state champ at Mater Dei, has been named head wrestling coach.
* No. 2 seed Ashley Weinhold of Spicewood, Texas, won the Girls 18 National Tennis Championship without losing a set. She defeated Alison Riske of McMurray, Pa., 6-3, 6-3, in the finals. Riske had upset No. 1 seed Julia Cohen of Philadelphia, 6-1, 7-5, in the round of 16.
* Defending national cross country champion Kathy Kroeger has been slowed by a stress fracture in her left leg during the summer training period. The Independence (Thompson Station, Tenn.) junior was on crutches for three weeks. Kroeger did not run track last spring because her doctor ordered her to put on 20 pounds. She accomplished the feat and now weighs a healthier 105.
* The U.S. under-18 select hockey team won three of five games to place fifth during the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament in Hodonin, Czech Republic. Philip McRae of Chesterfield, Mo., led the Americans with six points, including four power-play goals.