In the spring of 1982, Kathy Van Wyk had one of the best seasons in the history of college softball.
As a pitcher at Cal State Fullerton, the current head coach of San Diego State’s softball team recorded a 35-1 record and a miniscule .18 ERA – the eighth best single-season ERA in NCAA history.
Her .972 winning percentage was a Division-I record until 2001, while her 33-game winning streak that season remains atop the record book.
Four no-hitters, six one-hitters, back-to-back perfect games, 27 shutouts (sixth most in NCAA history in a single season) and 270 strikeouts.
So, when SDSU (13-4) hosts the Titans (11-10) for a double-header beginning at 4 p.m. Friday at the SDSU Softball Stadium, Van Wyk admits her illustrious career at Fullerton will be on her mind.
And that will give her extra motivation.
“It’s always fun to play them,” Van Wyk said. “It’s always fun to go and beat your alma mater, hopefully.
“But it’s a little different when we go up there to play because it brings back all the memories. You go and see your name on the wall and remember spending lots of time and effort up there.”
Meanwhile, the time and effort both teams have spent this season has become more evident than ever.
In the most recent ESPN.com/USA Today Softball Collegiate poll, the Aztecs racked up three votes, good for a No. 33 ranking, while the Titans are No. 30, with seven votes.
In addition, both teams have defeated teams that are currently in the top 25. Fullerton has defeated No. 25 Fresno State and No. 6 Cal this season, while SDSU beat then-No. 23 Oregon twice last weekend and nearly upset No. 4 UCLA before eventually falling 2-1.
“I think that we’re probably pretty evenly matched from the scores I’ve seen and the teams we’ve faced,” Van Wyk said. “It’s going to be a perfect level of competition for what we need right now.
“They’re a lot like us in that we’re going to give every ranked team a good game and we’re going to knock off a few of them, and that’s why I say we’re pretty well matched.”
Added senior center fielder Meagan Hartung: “It would be a big win for us. I think that (the two teams) are kind of evenly matched since we’re beating ranked teams as well, so it’ll be a big win for us because we need to beat teams that are even with us, too.”
Besides being evenly matched, the fact that the two teams will essentially be playing a 14-inning game adds another challenge for the improving Aztec squad.
“It’s very easy the first game, it’s a little challenging mentally to stay in for the second game,” Hartung said. “It’s a long day and you’re out there for a long time.
“But these are really important games for us, and we will come out both games really pumped up and wanting to take both wins.”
