By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – There will be a time down the road when she can sit back and reflect on the long list of achievements.
Bridgewater State University senior Amber White has been the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference pitcher of the year three times, earned the conference tournament most valuable player award twice, owns school records and is currently the national Division 3 leader in earned run average.
Before the book closes on a sensational career, though, the Middleboro resident is hoping to help the Bears put together a strong performance in the NCAA tournament that opens Friday afternoon.
“We want to give a good showing,’’ said White, whose team faces host Wellesley College at 3:30 p.m. to start a four-team, double-elimination regional. “I’m just out there performing right now and I want to do my best every day.
“It doesn’t really sink in right now, everything that I’ve done. I’ll look back later, looking at records and stats and I’ll be like, ‘Wow, that was pretty cool.’’’
The 2010 Middleboro High School graduate, a former Enterprise player of the year, spent her freshman year at Plymouth State University, where she was 10-11 before transferring to BSU.
White was the MASCAC co-pitcher of the year as a sophomore in 2012, going 16-6 with a 1.17 earned run average and 132 strikeouts in 2012 before dominating hitters last season and this spring.
As a junior and senior, White has gone 37-10 with a 0.50 ERA, allowing just 24 earned runs while striking out 287 hitters.
White is the national Division 3 leader with a 0.42 ERA this season and is 22-3 with 141 strikeouts and 15 shutouts, second in the country. She finished third in the nation last season with a 0.60 ERA, breaking a BSU record set in 1986.
“She’s definitely having a great year,’’ said coach Chrissy Semler, whose Bears are 29-12. “It’s great to have a pitcher like her. The team definitely feels very confident having her on the mound.
“The pitches that she gives batters, they’re not able to get much off of her. It’s very rare the outfield gets a lot of action unless it’s a routine popup.’’
White has set BSU career records for shutouts (29) and ERA (0.90 in 83 games) and is third with 410 strikeouts.
“It’s been awesome,’’ said White of her career with the Bears. “I really had no idea going into college softball I would ever get to that sort of level. The numbers I have now, it’s like proof of all the hard work I’ve put in paying off.
“When I transferred here, I didn’t even look at anything to do with softball. I transferred for academics and commuting purposes. I had no idea I’d be able to come into the program and do so well.
“I’ve put in a lot of work in the offseason. Doing a lot of lifting has really helped getting more power on the ball and tighter spins. The offseason work is what has really allowed me to increase my abilities the past couple of years.’’
White, who will make her 70th start for BSU when it faces Wellesley, added a pitch to her arsenal last season to become even more effective.
“The last couple of years, I’ve been able to incorporate a rise ball,’’ said White. “I’ve always been a drop ball pitcher, but getting the rise has really increased the repertoire of pitches I have. I can keep batters off balance.
“The confidence level the past two years, stepping on the mound and knowing I can get it done and portraying that to the batters I see, that has helped my abilities.’’
White has been named to the NCAA Division 3 Capital One Academic All-District team two straight years and has a 3.64 grade-point average as a biology major.
She is one of the nation’s top pitchers who has excelled in the classroom, making for a memorable three years for White since moving from Plymouth State to BSU.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to spend the last three years anywhere else,’’ she said. “Bridgewater, I just love the program, and the teammates I’ve gotten to play with have been awesome.’’