Untouchable. Remarkable. Superstar. In a league of her own. These adjectives barely scratch the surface on the talent of Michigan senior Sara Griffin. A native of California, Griffin has brought her talents east and put them on display during the past four seasons, delighting fans and bothering opponents at the same time.
Griffin has been a rock this season for the No. 2 Wolverines, compiling a perfect 21-0 record with a scant 1.20 ERA. She also has added a home run - establishing the Michigan career mark - and 32 RBI on the season.
The Michigan all-time win leader, Griffin is to the Michigan pitching staff what Michael Jordan is to the Chicago Bulls - her teammates and opponents expect great things when she steps onto the diamond.
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"I started playing when I was eight because my best friend wanted me to play on her team," Griffin said. "I started out in left field, where all I did was pick flowers, do cartwheels and catch butterflies."
Considering the fleeting attention span, it looked as if Griffin's softball career would be over before it started. But Griffin had a plan of her own.
"The next year, I told my dad that I wanted to pitch," Griffin said. "He wasn't too sure about it, but I liked to play and wanted to be part of the action."
After some thinking, Dad relented and let Griffin pitch, starting a successful career that has includes three College World Series appearances, several Michigan records and an appearance in the Olympic Festival. Mr. Griffin's generosity toward his daughter has also resulted in many frustrated batters the past few years.
After securing a spot on the mound, Griffin looked to pay her father back for allowing her a chance to play.
"I told my parents when I was 12 that I wanted to play softball competitively in college, " Griffin said. "I was determined to get a scholarship."
That determination drove Griffin to excel in high school.
She quickly became an elite high school player in California, playing for an elite travel team in the offseason. Much of the success she enjoys now at Michigan is the byproduct of traveling throughout California.
"My coach in high school taught me so much, not only on the field, but in life as well," Griffin said. "He said to play for him, you have to be serious and dedicated. If we did those two things, he could guarantee us a college scholarship."
True to her coach's word, scholarship offers began popping up everywhere for Griffin. As a native of southern California, it was assumed that Griffin would stay home and attend UCLA, a nationally renowned softball school. Griffin even bought into the Bruins' program for quite a while.
"When I was younger, the only place I wanted to go to was UCLA," Griffin said. "Everyone thought I was going to go there or go to Washington."
The Wolverines came into the equation almost by accident. When Griffin attended her first Olympic Festival in 1993, one of her teammates was current Michigan assistant coach Bonnie Tholl, a Wolverine from 1988-91.
"I played with Bonnie at the Olympic Festival, and I liked how she played and how she carried herself," Griffin said.
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| FILE PHOTO Sarah Griffin had a stellar weekend both in the pitcher's circle, where she went undefeated, and at the plate, where she hit .500 for the weekend. |
"Michigan was nothing like I had ever seen," Griffin said. "The tradition and layout of the campus and athletic facilities were totally different from what I was used to. I really liked everything."
Another thing that Griffin has taken a liking to is Michigan coach Carol Hutchins. Hutchins - with 484 victories in her career - is the winningest Michigan women's coach. While Griffin has given Hutchins 92 of those wins while on the mound, she has also received quite a bit from her coach.
"I have had a great experience at Michigan," Griffin said. Hutchins "treats you like adults - if you give her respect, she'll give you respect as well. She really knows her softball. As I have gotten older, I sometimes listen to her speeches and think, 'Wow!' She comes up with great points that no one else touches upon."
Since coming to Michigan, Griffin's fastball has rarely been touched by the opposition. Although her heavy workload causes her to give up hits at times, it also encourages her to finish strong as well.
A case in point is last Sunday's game against Ohio State. Pitching in her fifth game in a row, Griffin gave up three runs to the Buckeyes and trailed 3-2 heading into the sixth inning.
The Wolverines got two runs to go ahead 4-3 heading into the seventh. While the final inning can sometimes be deadly to a busy pitcher, Griffin struck out the side for the victory.
"I tend to get stronger later in the game," Griffin said. "I just tell myself that I need to shut them down and we need to win the game."
Griffin's sense of urgency and love for work can be understood after last season. During a game against Iowa, Griffin - while chasing a bunt - collided into first baseman Traci Conrad. The collision broke four bones in her left arm and forced her out for the season.
"It was an extremely hard time for me," Griffin said. "I didn't feel a part of the team - I felt as if my identity had been taken away. I was so upset, I would come home crying.
"It was really tough because I couldn't express my feelings in front of my teammates. If they had seen me upset, it would have brought them down."
There isn't much bringing Griffin and the Wolverines down this year. With 16 consecutive wins and a team-record 8-0 Big Ten start, there is a feeling that the softball team could be the third national champions at Michigan this year.
"This team definitely has expectations, but they really didn't hit us until we were ranked No.2," Griffin said. "Our goal is to get to the College World Series and win it."
Championship or not, Griffin doesn't expect her career to end after this season.
"I am hoping to become a graduate assistant after this year," Griffin said. "I have applied to some schools back home - I miss the California weather. I am also in the Olympic training process for the 2000 Summer Olympics."
Whether Griffin is in Sydney, Ann Arbor or California, one thing is for certain - her opponents wish that she was better at catching butterflies than winning games.
04-13-98
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