Imagine if Mark McGwire never played Major League Baseball. The world would be void of a spectacular 70-home-run season in 1998.
Now imagine if Triawn Custer had never set foot onto Howe Field, the home of the Oregon softball team, for her first collegiate game in that same year.
The Eugene community would be void of an amazing four-year career that has produced a school-record 34 homers … and counting.
Custer, who pronounces her first name TREE-awn, never expected to play Division-I softball.
Fate, however, had different plans.
“I hadn’t realized [my potential],” Custer said. “No one ever talked to me about playing in college. We hadn’t explored that option in high school.
“I was playing fall ball when [Oregon head coach Rick Gamez] approached me. I hadn’t talked to anyone else or sent out any letters or anything. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.”
That fall day during Custer’s junior year of high school kept two of the biggest parts of her life together: softball and family.
Living just 60 miles north of Eugene, Custer’s parents in Salem are able to catch the Ducks’ home games and cheer on their favorite player.
“I knew I couldn’t go out of state because my family is too important,” Custer said. “My parents enjoy watching me play, and that keeps me motivated.”
At age eight, after two years of T-ball, Custer began her softball career. Fourteen years later, she’s in the record books as Oregon’s new home-run queen.
“We’re very proud of her accomplishments; it’s not an easy thing to do,” Gamez said. “I also think it says a lot about our program and where it’s come in the last five years. Three years in a row now, someone has broken that record. That’s pretty amazing.”
Custer, a sociology major who will graduate in June and plans to teach high school math, said she never imagined she’d accomplish such feats and be part of a program that has built a strong foundation.
“On one level, I am surprised,” said Custer, whose 137 career runs batted in are just eight shy of the school record. “But on another level, we come here day-in and day-out and work really hard, and coach knows a lot about the game and passes it on. So after awhile you come to expect some better things. But I am surprised by what I’ve done.”
Catcher Kelly Planche, the only other senior on the squad, said Custer’s desire and commitment have been proved by her numbers.
“I’m really happy for her,” Planche said. “Unfortunately, her accomplishments have been overshadowed by what has happened this season. If nothing else, it’s a great thing for her to take away from here.”
This season has not gone as scheduled for Custer and the Ducks. After reaching the NCAA Tournament the last three seasons, Oregon had visions of the College World Series this season. And while the goal is not completely out of reach, a six-game slide and the rigors of Pacific-10 Conference play make the load that much harder.
“It’s nice to get [the record] out of the way … but I’d definitely trade it for more wins,” Custer said.
The Ducks (23-24 overall, 1-5 Pac-10) will look to turn things around this weekend when they host San Jose State and Oregon State, both for doubleheaders.
The slumping Ducks are looking for revenge against San Jose State, a team Oregon knows it should have beaten earlier this season.
The Ducks led 1-0 in the sixth against the Spartans (21-24 overall) in the March 3 meeting, but allowed two runs late to fall 2-1.
“I think it’s more mental than anything at this point,” Planche said. “We know we should beat them.”
“We definitely need these two wins,” Custer said. “There’s no other way around it. The Pac-10 is way too tough to expect to win a lot of those games. So getting out of the Pac-10 for a couple games is a key for this team.”
No. 16 Oregon State (30-15-1, 0-4) comes to town Saturday. The Beavers, who are looking for their first conference win, have won five straight over the Ducks.
“Oregon State is a good ball club,” Gamez said. “They are going to be very aggressive, but we just need to stay focused for seven innings.”
With focus, solid defense and perhaps a few shots over the wall from Custer, that losing streak of Oregon’s could be history.