Coming into the 2003 softball season, Claire Sua had what could
be described as an impossible task: replacing UCLA legend Stacey
Nuveman’s bat and presence in the cleanup spot.
“I feel great, I feel prepared for it hitting behind
Stacey last year, I felt like it was a good step for me,”
junior designated player/first baseman Sua said. “And I know
I have great hitters both in front of me and behind me, no
pressure.”
While Sua has not quite matched Nuveman’s amazing numbers,
she has fared quite well, hitting .333 with 16 home runs and 46 RBI
and a .708 slugging percentage.
These numbers are coming off a year where Sua admitted she
pressed, hitting only .291.
“I think this year I am not trying so hard, I find myself
just trusting myself and relying on my talent instead of trying to
force things,” Sua said. “Which really helps me out so
just trying to relax more and do what I do best, because you can
set yourself up for failure.”
Failure has not been much of a problem this year for the slugger
as she has provided great protection for All-American third baseman
Tairia Mims.
“Claire has the ability to carry our team offensively.
When she’s on it’s great,” senior second baseman
Monique Mejia said. “It’s tough for the three, five and
six hitters to drive in the runs all the time, and when
Claire’s on, it alleviates all the pressure. I hope she
continues to do well. I get the feeling that when she does well,
all of the other hitters start doing well.”
Like many great hitters, Sua realizes that pitchers sometimes
try to pitch around her by feeding her a variety of curve balls,
drop balls and change-ups, but Sua has learned to hit
less-than-perfect pitches.
“I think that the one thing that is kind of interesting is
that if you are a pitcher you can’t throw around Tairia
because she is bookended with Claire.” coach Sue Enquist
said.
“I always enjoy how opposing pitchers pitch to Tairia,
knowing that Claire is looming on deck, and it’s wonderful to
be a coach on their side knowing what they are capable of doing;
they are just an incredible 1-2 punch.”
More often than not, opposing pitchers pitch around Sua.
“I think just being in the position I am in, with Tairia
and Tasha (lead-off hitter Natasha Watley) in front of me, you
don’t really get to see many pitches,” Sua said.
“So you are basically looking for, can I hit this pitch,
can I hit it well, and not thinking about decisions, because
pitchers are not going to give us the perfect pitch ““ you
have to learn how to hit bad pitches”
She evidently has learned that well because, as many motorists
know, she can hit a bad pitch well out of Easton Stadium, past the
evergreens beyond center field, and on to Sunset Boulevard.
But Sua is a modest player who does not revel too much in her
home runs and does not try to show up the opposition by watching
them unnecessarily.
“Whoa, that’s about it, all right that was cool, you
don’t expect that, then when it happens, wow that’s
cool, I’ll take that.” Sua said, describing her
reaction to when she hits a moonshot home run.
She has even developed a boisterous following at home games.
When she comes up to bat, her teammates yell her name and her
boyfriend and some of his football buddies scream loud enough to
make sure the pitcher knows that the powerful hitter is coming to
the plate.
“I like that, I think it’s a funny one ““ when
my boyfriend and the football players come the guys do it (yell)
extra loud. I used to hate being called by my last name when I was
younger and now I like it; I think its fun.” Sua said.
Coach Enquist not only thinks watching Sua is fun, but believes
in Sua’s versatility and maturity.
“Claire is unique, she has had a presence on the field
that is senior-like since the day she got here. She is very
versatile; she plays first, she can pitch, she is a key hitter for
us.” Enquist said. “I like her presence on the field.
She is extremely confident without being a yakity-yak. I love that
presence about her.”
With her modesty and her sweet swing, Sua will be instrumental
for the Bruins as they start postseason play today in Fresno at the
NCAA regionals.