They’re Pitching In to Win : Softball: Godwin and Clark are taking turns beating opponents from atop Mater Dei’s mound.

Mater Dei softball Coach Cathy Quesnell considers herself a fortunate woman.

In a sport in which teams generally rely on one solid pitcher, Quesnell has the luxury of two: right-handers Amy Godwin and Jennifer Clark.

Godwin and Clark make a formidable rotation. They were instrumental in helping Mater Dei (20-6) win the Angelus League title and in advancing to the quarterfinals of the Southern Section 5-A playoffs Thursday against Fountain Valley (20-4).

Both have been equally effective this season. Godwin, a senior who pitched sporadically last year, improved her record to 9-4, her strikeouts to 84 and her earned-run average to 0.71 with a shutout of Simi Valley in a first-round playoff game Thursday. Clark, a sophomore, is 9-2 with a 0.78 ERA and 72 strikeouts. They make life on the field easier for Quesnell.

“You are very lucky when you have two front-line pitchers like Amy and Jen,” Quesnell said. “They both have speed and all the pitches.”

Though their statistics are similar, Quesnell said there’s a marked difference between the pitchers. Where one is able to focus consistently on the task at hand, the other has a tendency to become distracted. That, however, is small consolation for opposing batters regularly handcuffed by the pair.

“Amy has a little bit more focus than Jen,” Quesnell said. “Amy is really tough when she gets focused and is relaxed and driven to win the game. Jen kind of fades in and out. I never really know how she’s going to present herself. One inning she can strike out the side and the next inning she can walk three batters. Whenever she decides to put it together, she’s phenomenal. She can beat anybody.”

Clark, who also shares left-field duties with Godwin, blames her loss of concentration on a fear of not contributing to the team.

“When people get hits, I think I’m letting the team down,” Clark said.

On the other hand, Godwin not only maintains her composure when pitching, she can also talk a fine game.

“This year has been so good for me because my pitching has gone up a level and I’m able to keep my cool,” said Godwin, who will play softball at Oregon next year. “One of the things I’ve learned is to play it smart. That’s part of being focused.”

The girls have been learning about softball for years. Clark started playing when she was about 7 and Godwin took up the game after first trying Little League baseball. They are capable outfielders and respectable hitters (Godwin is batting .325, Clark .302), but neither feels there’s a substitute for pitching.

“Pitching is my love,” said Godwin, who started pitching when she was 13. “I didn’t like it at first because I didn’t have the confidence. But I definitely like pitching the best now.”

Said Clark: “If I have a choice between one and the other, I’d rather pitch.”

Clark did plenty of pitching in the league finale May 9 against Lakewood St. Joseph. She worked the first 17 innings of Mater Dei’s 19-inning, 1-0 victory before Marie O’Beck relieved her. It was the longest game in Monarch history and the one Clark considers her best, though she wasn’t crazy about coming up empty-handed after such an effort.

“I was really upset about that,” Clark said. “I pitched all those innings and I didn’t even get a decision.”

If Quesnell sticks with the rotation, Clark will get a shot at another victory Thursday. But Godwin would like to see the routine altered for the rest of the playoffs. This is her last hurrah in high school, Godwin said, and she wants to ride it as long as she can.

“I like the rotation for everything up to CIF (playoffs),” Godwin said. “Because I’m a senior, I’d like to definitely pitch all the games from now on. I’m not trying to be selfish, but I think I’ve earned it.”

Godwin, however, quickly points out that her stance is not a reflection on Clark’s capabilities or a need to overshadow her teammate. She doesn’t think the competition is unhealthy.

“Jennifer has been coming on strong with her pitching and batting,” Godwin said. “But I’d really like the chance (to pitch the remaining games).”

Quesnell said Clark might be a bit more competitive toward Godwin because Clark had a few shaky games early in the season, but it’s not a big issue.

“There’s no jealousy, but there’s a little competition there,” Quesnell said. “What’s nice about these two is that they know the pressure is not all on their shoulders.”

Clark underplays the issue. “We are pretty good friends off the field,” she said. “We work as a team. We are not trying to compete with each other.”

Last year, however, Godwin would have welcomed an opportunity to pitch more often. But Quesnell had an exceptional starter in right-hander Terri Kobata (5-2, 0.41 ERA), who moved to right field this season because her crow-hopping style of pitching is now illegal, and relied on Clark as her backup pitcher. When Kobata suffered a shoulder injury in the middle of the season and couldn’t pitch anymore, Quesnell went to Clark, not Godwin.

The reason, Quesnell said, was simple: Clark had more ability than Godwin at the time. That changed this season.

“In summer ball, she (Godwin) improved so much that she made her way to our No. 1 pitcher,” Quesnell said.

The coach’s decision to bypass her last season didn’t sit well with Godwin. But she said that’s all in the past.

“I thought I was ready but she (Quesnell) didn’t think I was,” Godwin said. “This year I’m pretty much sticking to what Cathy says.”

What Godwin hopes Quesnell will say about who starts Thursday is clear. But regardless who Quesnell tabs, she can’t go wrong.