Mankato native eyes fastpitch history

By Jim Rueda
Free Press Sports Editor

May 08, 2008 12:30 am

— Last September, I wrote about Mankato native Erin Goettlicher living the dream as an assistant coach with the Washington Glory women’s softball team in the National Pro Fastpitch League.
On Saturday, Goettlicher will etch her name into women’s fastpitch history when she leads her Glory team in a game against Team USA. Goettlicher will serve as the head coach for the exhibition contest because Carie Dever-Boaz, the actual Glory head coach, is back in Mississippi preparing to give birth.
Team USA has been touring in preparation for the Olympics in what is being billed as the Bound 4 Beijing Tour. The game will be played at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Md.
Here’s where the history part comes in: The game is a complete sellout, which means’ Goettlicher and friends will be playing in a contest that officially breaks the world record for paid attendance to a softball game — including the Olympics and Softball World Series.
Prince George’s Stadium is the home of the Bowie Baysox, a Class AA baseball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. It has 8,000 box and general admission seats, club seats, nine skyboxes and a grass overflow area for 2,000 spectators.
“It’s pretty exciting around here,” said Goettlicher, the former Mankato West and Minnesota State standout. “Team USA has been playing mostly college teams and they’ve been blowing through just about everybody.”
“We’re hoping we can give them a good game. It’s ironic because two of our best players — pitcher Monica Abbott and outfielder Kelly Kretchman — are on Team USA this year. They won’t be rejoining us until the 2009 season.”
Team USA’s appearance in Beijing may be the last in the Olympics for a long time ... perhaps forever. Women’s fastpitch is officially being dropped as an Olympic sport after the 2008 Games.
“It’s really too bad but it’s going to stay on the ballot for sports being considered by the Olympics every year,” Goettlicher said. “It doesn’t look good for 2012 but we’re hoping for 2016.”
In the meantime, the dropping of the sport could mean good things for the NPF. The league will now be about the only option for players once their college careers are done.
“Where we are in this part of the country, fastpitch is really growing,” Goettlicher said. “We’re hoping this exhibition will help increase our fan base. Our season starts May 28 so things are starting to get hectic.”

Jim Rueda is the Free Press sports editor. To contact him, call 344-6381 or e-mail him at jrueda@mankatofreepress.com.

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