Serena Settlemier will find out today if she still can pitch like she did three springs ago.
Kansas University softball coach Tracy Bunge has tapped Settlemier, a junior right-hander, to start against national power Arizona in Tucson, Ariz.
“It’s been a long journey,” Settlemier said before the Jayhawks departed for Arizona. “This weekend on the mound will be a huge thing.”
As a freshman in the spring of 2002, Settlemier was the Jayhawks’ best pitcher. She hurled in 22 games, starting 15, and posted a 1.88 earned-run average. Opponents hit only .218 against her.
But her right wrist hurt every time she threw a pitch, and she underwent surgery that forced her to take a red-shirt year in 2003 in order to rehab.
Settlemier returned in 2004 hoping to pick up where she left off, even though she still had a metal plate in her right forearm.
Bad idea. Every time Settlemier pitched her forearm swelled. Finally, after toiling on the mound in eight games and posting an unsightly 6.07 earned run average, Settlemier was shut down.
“She wanted to be able to pitch and help the team,” Bunge said, “but her timing was off and her location was off. She wasn’t ready.”
Now, after more than 18 months of rehab and three operations on the wrist, Settlemier says she feels great.
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“I’m so excited,” she said. “I can throw pitches now and be OK afterward.”
Bunge wouldn’t be starting Settlemier against Arizona if she didn’t agree.
“I don’t know if she’ll ever be 100 percent,” Bunge said. “But is she 95 percent? Probably. She’s worked hard. Knowing Serena, she’ll handle it good.”
Bunge will use soph Kassie Humphreys on the mound in today’s other game against Oklahoma State.
Saturday, Bunge will come back with Humphreys and Settlemier against New Mexico State and Northwestern. Freshman Christina Ross might start Sunday’s game against Tulsa.
“Right now we’ll use Christina in relief,” Bunge said, “but we’ll see how it goes.”
Meanwhile, Settlemier will be the designated player when she isn’t pitching. The wrist injury didn’t hurt her hitting last season. She led the Jayhawks in home runs (11), slugging percentage (.517) and on-base percentage (.358).
