New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Rookie Pitcher of The Week, freshman Cat Thomas, has been dominating the circle while also producing some major hits for the Profs.
This past weekend, during Rowan’s four-game stint in Maryland, she collected four hits and four RBIs, while also earning a win on the mound and posting a 0.72 ERA.
In the second game out of three that Rowan faced off against Washington College, Thomas got the start in the circle, throwing a complete game and getting the win 3-0. She added on to her impressive stats with one hit and one RBI.
In regard to her pitching, she said that she was hitting her spots and was trying to keep the hitters off balance throughout the game.
“I was really just going for location, and trying to keep the hitters off balance,” Thomas said. “I was showing my drop ball a lot and really just spotting my fastball, I wasn’t really looking for strikeouts, I was really just trusting my defense behind me.”
She held Washington College to only two hits and posted three strikeouts for the Profs’ first win of the season.
In the third matchup against Washington College, Thomas delivered once again, providing three hits and three RBIs in four at-bats.
Her performance at the plate and in the circle thus far has caught the attention of Coach Wilson.
“She’s a gamer, she hits her spots, she moves the ball and she just has that game mindset,” Wilson said. “She’s a competitor, so she is going to go out and give you her best every time she’s on the mound.”
Rowan got the win in that game as well, winning 8-0, with additional hits coming from Korie Hague, Payton MacNair and Morgan Zane. As for Thomas’ at-bats, she said that she was excited to have the opportunity to get at-bats and help her team score some runs.
“I was really trying to see the ball, and hit the ball, and just do what I can to get the runners that were on base in, and just help my team get going,” Thomas said.
As far as where Thomas will see the most action this season, Wilson said that she will mostly be hitting for the Profs when she does not get the start on the mound.
“She’s one of our better hitters, so we keep her in the lineup that way, and she becomes the offensive player,” Wilson said.
In their fourth and final game of the weekend, Rowan lost to the University of Lynchburg 0-3 with Thomas on the mound. Only giving up one earned run in 3.2 innings pitched, she was given the loss. After going 1-1 in the circle, Thomas reflected on the differences in her performances in both appearances.
“I felt like Lynchburg was maybe attacking some of my pitches a little bit more, they were having longer at-bats, fouling more pitches off,” Thomas said.
Totaling four strikeouts and only allowing one earned run in the two appearances, Thomas feels good about her performances.
“I really felt good both days,” Thomas said. “I feel like everything was working, I was just trying to mix it up a little bit, and once again doing what I could to get the outs in the infield, and then I think Emily [August] came in after me and she did a great job of keeping the hitters off balance.”
Thomas is hopeful that the Profs will have a successful season, and is proud of her team’s performance so far.
“Everyone has been hitting great, it’s just a matter of stringing it together, but I have faith that we are going to figure everything out and click together as a team, it’s just great to be out there,” Thomas said.
Thomas also stressed the importance of working together in order to score some runs. She is focused on having productive at-bats when runners are on base.
“I’m just always trying to do whatever I can do to help my team, even if it’s just a ground ball to the right side so someone can score, that’s just something I want to do better for myself,” Thomas said. “More situational hitting, and just putting the ball into play no matter how it is, so that my team can score and we can win overall.”
The Profs are currently 4-2. They will have a doubleheader against Muhlenburg University on Friday, March 19, and play two games against Salisbury University on Sunday, March 21.
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