NCAA Softball : Mygind Helps Fullerton to 5-0 Victory

Debbie Mygind, Cal State Fullerton’s pitcher, has a changeup that is so slow it seems as if it will never make it to home plate.

Her changeup is so slow it seems batters have time to think about which fence they’ll hit it over before hitting it. Or at least trying to.

Mygind is a lot more difficult to hit than meets the eye. Thursday night’s 5-0 victory over visiting Central Michigan in the first round of the NCAA softball playoffs at Titan Field was another example of just how difficult Mygind’s changeup is to hit after she serves a batter a fastball.

Mygind (26-3) was full of tricks as she kept the Chippewas guessing throughout Game 1 of the best-of-three series Thursday night.

“I think when Debbie threw that changeup for the first pitch of the game it really blew their minds,” said Judi Garman, Fullerton coach.

“She did a great job of keeping their hitters off balance.”

Mygind (26-3) had the Chippewas leaning and listing, trying to figure out what was coming next. Fastball? Change?

Kathy Moody’s third-inning single and Cathy Wylie’s single in the fifth were the only hits Central Michigan (44-11) got off Mygind. The senior right-hander from Auckland, New Zealand struck out eight and did not walk a batter.

“I guess I fooled them because they didn’t know I threw it on the first or second pitch,” Mygind said. “I’m not an overpowering pitcher, (but) as long as I prevent the other team from scoring we can win.”

Left fielder Terri Oberg’s three-run homer in the first inning was all the scoring the Titans needed Thursday. No. 1-ranked Fullerton (50-8) added two insurance runs in the sixth inning when designated hitter Susan LeFebvre singled home Robin Goodin and Lisa Noriega for those runs.

But it was Oberg’s HR that set the game’s tone.

“To come out and score those runs takes the pressure off us,” said Garman, who’s team lost to Texas A&M; in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

Oberg, who’d been slumping at the plate lately said, “I’ve been having problems striking out, but I felt good at the plate tonight. (The pitch) was right up the middle.”

The teams meet in Game 2 at 6 tonight at Fullerton. If a third game is necessary it will follow immediately afterward.

The winner of the series advances to the College World Series next Wednesday at Omaha, Neb.