Hart’s Weil Tops Ford’s Win Mark

Kym Weil had a terrific baby-sitter--always a lot of fun, never too strict about bedtime and just about the best softball pitcher any would-be windmill whipper could hope to emulate.

As a child, Weil went to bed when Samantha Ford said so. Last week, Weil put Ford to bed in the Hart High record books.

Weil recorded four victories last week, surpassing Ford as the winningest pitcher in school history while leading Hart (15-2) to the championship of the Righetti tournament.

As she has been throughout her four-year career, Weil was nearly flawless, throwing two one-hitters and a pair of two-hitters. She shut out Santa Barbara, 6-0; Cabrillo, 4-0; Lompoc, 1-0; and Simi Valley, 1-0. Weil’s efforts did wonders for Hart, which batted only .211 in the tournament.

Not surprisingly, she was selected the tournament’s most valuable player.

Combined with Tuesday’s two-hit 7-0 win over San Gabriel, the tournament victories raised Weil’s career record to 75-15, eclipsing Ford’s school record of 71 career wins from 1982-85 and moving Weil to within six of the Southern Section record.

“Goals are always important to reach,” Weil said. “But I don’t want to be too concerned with statistics.”

That’s too bad because her career numbers are noteworthy. Weil has recorded 36 shutouts, 10 no-hitters, 12 one-hitters, 874 strikeouts and an 0.43 earned-run average in 588 1/3 innings.

This season, Weil is 14-1, has nine shutouts and has struck out 172 in 108 innings. She has not allowed an earned run in her last 59 innings. At one stretch last season, Weil pitched 101 innings without allowing an earned run.

In the Righetti tournament, Weil struck out 43 in 29 innings while holding the opposition to an .064 batting average. And to cap off the week, she signed a letter of intent to attend Hawaii on a softball scholarship.

“It’s been a lot of hard work and determination,” Weil said. “I wouldn’t consider it natural (ability).”

Weil didn’t start slinging softballs competitively until she was 13--long after the days of 9 p.m. bedtimes. But Ford, who pitched for UCLA from 1986-89, was still around to offer advice.

“I thought she was really good when she was younger,” Ford said. “I’m really happy for her. I think it’s great. But I wouldn’t want to take any credit for her accomplishments.”

Weil, however, shuns the spotlight, repeatedly emphasizing the contribution of teammates. Catcher Stephanie Keeler, who also has signed with Hawaii, leads the Indians in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.500), hits (21), doubles (three), triples (three) and home runs (one).

“Stats don’t mean that much to me,” Weil said. “Records will always be broken. I think what’s most important is not so much your numbers but how you perform and how people think of you as a person. I don’t just want to be remembered as the girl who beat out Sam.”