Cocoa High Ace Kristen Gordon Signs With USF Softb

[pdiddybull32]

Cocoa High Ace Kristen Gordon Signs With USF Softball  

Courtesy: USF

TAMPA, Fla. (June 5, 2006) – University of South Florida head softball coach Ken Eriksen announced today that the Bulls have received a National Letter of Intent from Cocoa High senior Kristen Gordon, officially becoming a part of USF’s top-25 ranked softball program in the 2006-07 academic year.

Gordon will join the squad adding even more depth to the Bulls’ pitching staff. Gordon will complement returners Bree Spence and Cristi Ecks – two of the top pitchers in the BIG EAST – and transfer Courtney Mosch (SYR), who will be eligible to play in 2007.

The incoming freshman has had a dominant high school career, putting together a record of 66-15 with an ERA of 0.98. She has pitched 557 innings, recording 889 career strikeouts, including nine no-hitters and 18 one-hitters.

In her senior season alone, she led Cocoa High to the state semifinals and earned FLORIDA TODAY’S Softball Player of the Year. She finished 2006 with a record of 22-3, an ERA of 0.86 and posted 341 Ks. Gordon threw two perfect games, including a 20-strikeout effort against Rockledge High, and put together 57-consecutive scoreless inning streak.

“What a great addition to our pitching staff,†Eriksen said. “Kristen is great pitcher, which will give us four top-notch pitchers next season. Our pitching staff will have a tremendous amount of depth next season and she is going to be a key asset for us in 2007.â€Â

Gordon becomes the ninth player to commit to join the Bulls for the 2007 season.

Can You Say Stacked Pitching staff!! 9 no hitters and 2 perfect games is decent 8) GO BULLS!

[Apis Bull]

Great!!  Looks like we're set a pitcher for a while.  Now we need some bats.

[USFan]

 Now we need some bats.

Very important....

[CoralSpringsBull]

Maybe a couple of the softball pitchers can pitch for the basebull team

[USFan]

Maybe a couple of the softball pitchers can pitch for the basebull team

Problem resolved

[Guest AstroBull]

Intimidating force

Cocoa's Gordon puts on a striking show during senior season

BY MIKE CHERRY

FLORIDA TODAY

  Mounds of trouble. Cocoa's Kristen Gordon was 22-3 with a 0.86 ERA. Kathleen Hinkel, FLORIDA TODAY

Kristen Gordon understands the confusion about her.

Sometimes she confuses herself. Take the topic of what the Cocoa senior pitcher wants to do with her life.

Don't know. Got her.

"That's the thing," Gordon said. "I like medicine, law, interior design, sports medicine. There are about five things I'd love to do. That's why I probably won't major in anything for two years."

At least she knows where she will be undecided. Gordon signed a letter-of-intent to play for the University of South Florida next school year. There, her head coach will be Ken Eriksen, also an assistant coach working with pitching and catching for the United States national team.

Another thing Gordon knows. She will improve even more under him.

That could be scary considering she pitched and hit well enough for Cocoa to earn FLORIDA TODAY's Softball Player of the Year honors after a brilliant senior season that took the Tigers to the state tournament for the third time in the past four years.

"Everyone filled their roles really well," Gordon said. "We had a lot of fun doing it. In the past, if you get any group of girls together, you'll have drama. This group, now that we've all grown up, we're each our own person and we respect that. There was no drama."

Instead, there was a 26-3 Cocoa team that reached the Class 4A semifinals before falling to eventual champion Bartow 1-0 in Plant City. There was drama, but in a different manner. The Tigers' final two regional wins were decided late against strong teams, Pembroke Pines Charter (1-0) and Jensen Beach (3-2 in 11 innings).

The right-hander, of course, was in the middle of everything. On the mound, she finished 22-3 with a

0.86 ERA. In 186 innings, Gordon, who has added pitches to her repertoire during her scholastic career, struck out 341 and walked 63. She threw four no-hitters, including two perfect games. The last one was against Rockledge, which won 18 games. Twenty Raiders struck out.

In addition, Gordon hit .431 this spring with 13 doubles and 28 RBI.

With a fastball that is usually around 63 mph, a devastating riser and the confidence to throw hard inside to a hitter, Gordon can no doubt be an intimidating figure to opponents. Her serious disposition on the field adds to that image.

"She's definitely different," Cocoa coach Dale Pierce. "I guess she's cocky, but I guess that's a good thing with being a pitcher. Not overly cocky, but she knows what she wants to do. I think her personality was a huge part of her success."

Off the field, Gordon is outgoing and often comical. That may explain why she does well in her summer job, waitressing at a Cocoa sports-themed restaurant/bar.

"Once you get to know me, once I get to the dugout, it's all jokes," she said. "I'm not intimidating at all. People are surprised after they meet me. They say, 'You're not at all what I expected you to be.' "

Part of her strength, Gordon said, comes from her mother, Kaye, an accountant for a local college and a single parent. She also admires her lone sibling, older sister Sara, who recently graduated from Daytona Beach Community College and will play softball for Jacksonville University.

"I've always been a competitive person," Kristen Gordon said. "I think a lot of it is support, too."

Just for a quick jaw drop, here are Gordon's career pitching numbers: 66-15 record, two saves, 557 innings, 889 strikeouts, 200 walks, 246 hits, 78 earned runs, 0.98 ERA, 76 complete games, 44 shutouts, 18 one-hitters, nine no-hitters. Forty times in a Cocoa uniform, she struck out 12 batters or more in a game.

As far as her numbers, the conclusions are not confusing.

[USFan]

^^^^Amazing numbers

[Guest AstroBull]

not too bad

[Kyle]

we'll be the first softball team in the country with a pitching rotation.

[sdgukhsdgl]

seriously, Cocoa!?!?  sickening