The late Dan “Quiz” Quisenberry, a former submarine-style relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, once said, “A manager uses a relief pitcher like a six shooter, he fires until it’s empty then takes the gun and throws it at the villain.”
While Quisenberry certainly wasn’t speaking on behalf of Oregon head softball coach Mike White and his unique substitution style, the adage couldn’t have hit closer to home. Throughout the season, White has demonstrated a knack for using his bullpen unlike most other softball teams, using his relievers for one inning or even one batter if the situation calls for it.
“Sometimes it’s just to break things up,” White said. “Even thought a lot of the time it’s not really the fault of the starter. Sometimes it’s just another look and breaks the momentum that the opposing team has against you — that’s why I like to do it.”
Recently, White has found his go-to pitcher in sophomore right-hander Mikayla Endicott emerging as a confident reliever at any point in the game. In her 20 appearances this season, two of which she started, Endicott has a 3-1 record with two saves in 43 2/3 innings pitched. Her 59 strikeouts to just 19 walks have solidified Endicott’s position as a commanding reliever, though she often splits time with junior lefty Brittany Rumfelt (5-0).
“I just like any position to contribute to the team.” Endicott said. “It doesn’t really matter what it is.”
Following a rocky freshman season in which she compiled a 2-3 record with a 4.14 ERA, Endicott has put together a strong sophomore campaign against a rigorous Pacific-10 Conference schedule.
“What Mikayla does so well is (she) gets it going right away,” junior catcher Ashley Kivett said. “And then sticks with it because she understands her job and just gets right to it.”
Coming out of Roseburg High School, Endicott was one of the most decorated players in state history with two Oregonian 6A Pitcher of the Year awards on her resume. As a junior, the 6A state and Gatorade Oregon Softball Player of the Year went 22-2 with a 0.26 ERA. She followed that up with a 21-4 senior campaign with a 0.29 ERA, earning a second Southwest Conference Pitcher of the Year award. Her two-year strikeout total of 660 fanned batters to just 54 walks speaks for itself.
White was not surprised to see how dominant Endicott’s game was at the high school level since he’d been working closely with Endicott since she was 11 years old.
Endicott’s father, Bill, started bringing his daughter to Eugene to attend skills camps at Oregon, during the time that it just so happened that White was on staff as the Ducks pitching coach.
“She seemed to blossom from that age,” White said, remembering when he was first introduced to the sophomore. “Around (age) 14 to 15 she really picked up some speed and really became a very good pitcher, especially in Oregon.”
Endicott received offers from Washington and Arizona State following her impressive prep career, but the luxury and familiarity of staying close to home ultimately led her to sign with the Ducks.
And while Endicott says she’s content with her role as a reliever, the aspiration of becoming a full-time starter is something that will always be in the back of her mind.
“I guess as a pitcher everyone really honestly wants to start and be able to have their own game,” Endicott said. “But I just think that it’s the best role for me to help our team win games.”
White said he’s never doubted Endicott’s ability to pitch deep into ballgames and become an effective starter, but having a reliable asset in the bullpen isn’t something he’s willing to give up.
“I’m sure she wants to start,” he said. “That’s her ultimate goal. But right now the way we can use her best as a team is in that relieving role.”
With the team traveling south to match up with Stanford on Thursday afternoon in the final Pac-10 series of the season, Endicott and the rest of the Oregon staff will have to keep in check two of the nation’s top players, with three-time All-American Alissa Haber and two-time Olympian Jessica Mendoza looking to avenge the Cardinal’s 5-13 Pac-10 record.
“We expect them to come at us,” White said. “But we’ve just got to concentrate on what we can control … when we play defensively strong we’re in every game. It’s no secret, we need to really shore up our defense and be consistent in that arena.”
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