Learning to Laugh : It Hasn’t Always Been Fun for Toros’ Pitcher Denise Biller

Denise Biller laughed loudly and smiled often as she related the story of her career with the Cal State Dominguez Hills softball team.

The 22-year-old pitcher with the long, walnut-colored hair had reason to grin. The Toros are having their best year ever and so is she.

But before this season the on-field laughter and smiles didn’t come often. Losses don’t produce much laughter.

Biller, a power thrower with a lethal curve and rise ball, says she’s learned to take things lightly. She likes to focus on the positive although she’s somewhat resentful at the way her college softball career has turned out.

“Everything is finally coming together,” Biller said. “My experience here has enabled me to deal with pressure. It hasn’t been easy. There were some very difficult times. I just wish that I had another year left to play.”

At Dominguez Hills Biller has been on two losing teams and she’s played for three coaches in four years. She’s seen the struggling Toro softball program at its worst.

The 5-foot-10 senior briefly mentioned the anger and frustration she’s experienced as a result of the coaching changes. She says personality conflicts among players and even coaches have been a big problem in the last three years and the reason why the program has lacked success.

“There was definite lack of motivation on this team last year,” Biller said. “It felt like we weren’t going anywhere. I felt like I was wasting myself because we weren’t successful or productive.

“Losing is not fun, and everyone knows that. But sometimes you gain or learn from losing. I didn’t because we just kept losing. Normally you lose and you go on and do better. Not us, we just kept losing .”

The Toros ended the 1988 campaign with a dismal 3-17 conference record (25-37 overall) under Coach Jennifer Gorecki, who was also the women’s volleyball coach. In 1987 Gorecki led the team to a third-place California Collegiate Athletic Assn. finish and a 30-26 record.

Biller had losing records both years. She finished 1988 with an 11-17 record and in 1987 she was 11-12. As a freshman in 1986 she went 12-16 on a team that compiled a 24-28 record under Coach Mya Sanders.

Lisa Marzlo, a close friend of Biller and an all-CCAA third baseman for the Toros last year, says that part of Biller’s success is due to an attitude change on her part and the team’s. She also credits first-year Coach Janis Ruetz.

“Denise has come a long way,” Marzlo said. “She’s matured a lot as far as her poise and her thinking. I think that during her first couple of years she was still thinking in a way that she didn’t have to give anything extra. She was successful in high school and the change was tough.”

This season Biller, who was an all-CIF and Angelus League Most Valuable Player at St. Joseph High in Lakewood, leads the small Toro pitching staff with a 12-6 record and an 0.41 earned-run-average. Sophomore left-hander Kim Park, a former Banning High star, is also having a good year with an 9-4 record and a 0.37 ERA.

“When Denise is on,” said Dominguez Hills catcher Denise Seifried, “she can win the game for you single-handedly. She’s a very strong pitcher and she’s very consistent and very intense.”

And she’s a major part of the Toros’ unprecedented success, which comes mainly from pitching and a strong defense. Dominguez Hills’ top batter, junior Maria Romero, is hitting only .259.

Gary Torgeson, head coach of league rival and Division II powerhouse Cal State Northridge, says this is the strongest Dominguez Hills team he’s seen. Biller, he says, is its biggest asset.

“They’re good enough to go to the regionals, and Denise is one of the main reasons,” said Torgeson who has led his teams to seven CCAA titles and four national titles. “Our team certainly respects Denise. I think she’s more confident because the attitude among (Dominguez Hills) players is much better. They have great spirit and they’re playing as a unit--not a bunch of individuals. I haven’t seen that down there before.”

Ruetz, who assisted Gorecki for two years, recruited eight freshman who, along with eight returners (only three of them seniors), have given the Toros their best record since the inception of the program in 1982.

Dominguez Hills (9-4-1, 26-12-1), which swept a doubleheader against Chapman on Tuesday, is the CCAA’s third-place team.

Northridge is in first and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is second. Park and Biller had shutouts against the Panthers this week.

“We concentrate a lot on staying together,” Ruetz said. “I stress that we need to appreciate one another. There’s awareness of the efforts, not just the game time. It’s good people that are making this happen. It’s just a good chemistry.”

Biller, a health science major, agrees. Despite the cutthroat competition that exists between her and Park, she says this is finally a real team.

“I think our rivalry is actually kind of normal. It’s only healthy to want to be the best. She wants to be the best and I want to be the best.”

The only problem this season, according to Biller, is that she often cuts practice because of her academic load. She also works at County USC’s emergency ward and at a local restaurant as a waitress.

“I guess some people don’t see me as the fully dedicated softball player I should be,” Biller said. “It’s hard to juggle everything, and I realize that I’m not going to play softball for the rest of my life.”

Until May however, the hyperactive and loud-spoken hurler will stand on the mound with authority and heave softballs at batters.