Softball slap-happy over Evans
Bruin senior center fielder Kathi Evans’ slap hitting style has
frustrated
opponents while earning her
All-America honors.
By Rick Pal
By looking at Kathi Evans, you probably wouldn’t guess she is
the starting center fielder for the second-ranked UCLA softball
team.
Actually, for the record, Evans has been the starting center
fielder for the past four years for the Bruins. In addition, she
has occupied the lead-off spot for a majority of her career at
UCLA.
In her freshman year, she was a second-team All-American and led
the mighty Bruin offense with 68 singles. She was also named to the
All-Pac-10 team in 1992 and 1993. In her first two years, she
missed only one game.
Not bad for a slender, 5-foot- 2-inch senior from Covina.
Despite her unassuming size and friendly demeanor, Evans is
fiercely competitive. Every one of her 177 career hits at UCLA are
the result of pure hustle.
To put it more accurately, Evans has perfected the technique of
slap hitting. While most defenses have figured out a way to stop
almost every other slap hitter, few defenses have been able to stop
Evans.
"First of all, when you slap, you are running and hitting at the
same time," Evans said. "The object is to get the ball on the
ground and beat the throw at first.
"Slap hitting has helped me because as a hitter, I wasn’t a very
powerful hitter, so I wasn’t going to hit doubles or triples. If I
place it right, I can reach first."
Reaching first has been a specialty for Evans. Of those 177
career hits at UCLA, 176 were singles. Most of her hits were
infield singles, where she cleverly placed the ball and beat out
the play at first.
"When Kathi came out of high school, slap hitting came on the
scene, and what has transpired in the past four years is that
defenses have caught up with the slap hitters," UCLA co-head coach
Sue Enquist said. "Most of the slap hitters aren’t successful
anymore but Kathi has maintained her ability to get safe in every
situation.
"It is a testimony to her speed that she is still
successful."
Evans can certainly hold her own on defense as well. In her
four-year career at UCLA, Evans has committed one error in center
field.
This is not to say Evans’ prowess as a complete player was
recently discovered. Coming out of high school, she had offers to
play for perennial softball powerhouses Arizona and Cal State
Fullerton. For Evans, though, it was an easy decision to come to
UCLA.
"I enjoy UCLA because, for one, I love the coaches," Evans said.
"Also, I chose UCLA because of the beautiful campus and you can’t
beat the academics."
Not only did Evans register an immediate impact for the Bruins
her freshman year , she came through in crunch time and helped UCLA
capture the national championship in 1992. She was named to the
All-College World Series Team for her role in the team’s eighth
title.
"Winning the national championship was the greatest feeling in
the world," Evans said. "Nothing else compares. It is a feeling
that words cannot describe."
They say the measure of greatness is determined by response to
adversity. Last year, Evans was tested. After injuring her wrist,
she was forced to sit out 13 games. When she came back, it was not
the same Evans that just a year earlier had been named an
All-American. She could only muster 13 hits all last season and was
only called upon for pinch running duties.
"It was difficult coming off the bench and I didn’t play as well
as I planned," Evans said. "It was hard to sit and watch and just
be a pinch runner, but it’s an experience and everything happens
for a reason so I had to just take it in stride."
Evans has come back stronger than ever this year. With the NCAAs
just around the corner, Evans is peaking with a .353 average.
"Kathi Evans showed last year that she is very capable in
sharing in the success of others, being supportive of her teammates
and because of that, I think that is why she was able to come back
so strongly," Enquist said. "Now that she is a senior, she is very
focused on going out on top."