After the departure last season of four-year standout Andrea Kirchberg, who owns the pitching half of the University of Wisconsin women’s softball team record book, the Badgers looked to be a little thin on pitching going into the season. Then-sophomore Katie Layne was UW’s only returning pitcher who had seen extensive action during Kirchberg’s reign.
However, to the surprise of many, Wisconsin has turned into a pitching team this season, relying more on its pitchers to shut down opposing teams than it does its hitters to light up the scoreboard. Although the Badgers’ season has been defined through clutch hitting and strong play defensively, the pitching has been the most important factor in Wisconsin’s surprising play.
The biggest factor in the Badgers’ unexpected dominance from the mound is freshman Eden Brock.
Brock was recruited from Wakulla County, Fla., and was thrust into a starting role right away. In the Badgers’ second game of the season against UC-Riverside, Brock made her first career start and baffled the Highlanders, allowing five hits and zero earned runs in seven innings to deliver a 10-2 Wisconsin victory, the first of the season for the team.
Brock has not slowed down since. She has been the leader of the Badgers’ pitching staff this season, shutting down opponents consistently while posting a 10-10 record with one save and a team-low 1.77 ERA. She has pitched more innings than anyone on the team; after beginning the year with Layne heading the depth chart, head coach Karen Gallagher has made Brock’s role much larger.
Ironically, as she has stepped in to replace UW’s all-time greatest pitcher, Brock is the antithesis of Kirchberg in style, relying on a finesse game as opposed to power.
“She knows she isn’t going to be blowing the ball by anyone, but she is confident in her game and confident in her pitches. When we play good defense behind her and we score a few runs, she’s tough,” coach Gallagher said. “When she is hitting her spots and everything is on, she is a tough pitcher up there. She is a competitor too. I love how she competes against good teams: she goes right at them and she is not afraid of them.”
Brock has performed above and beyond what would be expected of a first-year player, largely because of her confidence in both her team and herself.
“She’s confident in her game. She is a leader in her field. She expects her teammates to play well behind her and if they don’t, she lets them know. I like that about her,” Gallagher said.
“I just try and tell myself that I am better than the batter. I just try and go there and get really mean,” Brock added with a laugh. “Just be in the mind-set that I’m better than anybody who steps to the plate, and that nobody can beat me.”
Having Layne and the other Badgers around to help guide Brock through her freshman campaign has contributed greatly to her confidence.
“Going [from] high school to college is a really big change, and the support of my teammates just helping me to improve through the season [has been huge],” Brock said. “I have learned to always be confident, especially when on the mound. [They’ve taught me] all you can do is give your best and trust your team to help you out.”
Brock is the quintessential team player and attributes all of her success to her teammates.
“I just depend on my teammates to help me through the games, because without them, none of my games would be any good. It’s them, not me.”
Brock’s stellar season hit a peak when Wisconsin played Loyola-Chicago at the Goodman Diamond in Madison on April 7. Pitching the first game of a double-header, Brock was two outs away from just the second perfect game in UW history, as she blew away the Ramblers with a six-inning, 8-0 victory, giving up just two hits the entire contest.
Brock, however, looks to her performance against Iowa on March 28, a 2-1 victory, as her career highlight to date.
“I really enjoyed our game against Iowa. They were big competition for us and we beat them in a really close game on our field. They [are] always really cocky and always think they are better than us, and we beat them. It was fun to pitch that game — a very good accomplishment for me.”
With Brock’s best moment being a team accomplishment, it should be no surprise that her goals are also team oriented, as she hopes to be able to help the team succeed.
“A team goal we have had this year has been to reach the Big Ten tournament, and my personal goal is just to help us get back there,” Brock said.
With only two weeks left before the tournament, the Badgers (26-23, 5-9) have some work to do, but with Brock leading the way, anything is possible for this team.
