In 1938, a left-handed pitcher named Johnny Vander Meer threw back-to-back no-hitters for the Cincinnati Reds, a feat that has never been duplicated in the history of Major League Baseball.
Jen Reitemeyer just did him one better.
The FDR sophomore tossed two consecutive perfect games last week, first against Saugerties last Monday in a 3-0 Presidents triumph. She then backed up that effort with seven more spotless innings against Rondout Valley on May 14 in an 11-0 victory. Reitemeyer struck out 11 in each contest and raised her record to 16-1 in the process.
The perfect games were the first in the history of the FDR softball program. Reitemeyer had already thrown two no-hitters earlier this season.
“Jen inspires the team and the team inspires her as well,” said Pat Moshier, now in his 15th season as the Presidents’ coach. “She knows she’s got solid players behind her.”
He isn’t kidding. In the third inning of Reitemeyer’s second gem, a ball was hit through the right side of the infield. Right fielder Brittany Zagorski charged the ball and fired to first to nip the runner and keep Reitemeyer’s streak alive. Moshier also credited second baseman Donna Burns with making a couple of tough plays up the middle to preserve the perfect game.
“We have a bunch of girls committed from all the way back in December,” said Moshier. “We get them to buy into the system in the winter.”
Unflappable
Reitemeyer, who is already scouting colleges where she can continue her softball career, doesn’t seem all that overwhelmed by her accomplishments.
“I’ve been playing since I was 5, she said. “I started out as a third baseman and took up pitching as an extra thing. It turned out I’m pretty good at it.”
That’s an understatement. Reitemeyer had already pitched two no-hitters in 2008 before last week’s back-to-back perfect games. That brings her total to four no-no’s on the season, a feat that might make even the great Nolan Ryan envious. (Ryan owns the Major League record for no-hitters in a career with seven.)
And while she admitted it was “nerve-racking” as the consecutive perfect innings streak wore on, she claims that pressure isn’t something that normally rattles her.
“I’m okay with (pressure),” she said. “It doesn’t really affect me. It’s just another game and another batter I have to get out.”
It’s that sort of attitude that makes Reitemeyer an excellent candidate to succeed on the next level, according to Moshier.
“If she wants to work on it, she can play Division I,” he said. “At that level, though, there are a lot of people with Jen’s talent. It always comes down to who wants to put in the extra effort.”
Moshier is also impressed by Reitemeyer’s dazzling array of pitches.
“She throws her fastball less than any of her other pitches,” he said. “She also throws a terrific curve and a change-up. The (pitchers) who are most successful are the ones with movement on their balls. Speed doesn’t hurt, obviously, but placement and movement are more desirable.”
Reitemeyer’s perfection finally came to an end this week in FDR’s 5-3 win over New Paltz in the opening round of the MHAL Tournament on May 20. The Presidents (20-1) then faced Pine Plains in the title game, after the Beat’s press time.
Pine Plains dealt FDR and Reitemeyer their only loss of the season in a 2-0 pitcher’s duel between FDR’s ace and Abby Harpp. The two runs Reitemeyer surrendered in that game were unearned.
For all her dominance, Reitemeyer is far more concerned with how her team will fare in the MHAL tournament as well as the sectionals, which begin right after Memorial Day.
“I absolutely think this team can go far,” she said. “Our only loss was to Pine Plains and I think everybody is letting that get into their heads. If we overcome that (mental) block, then we have a chance to do very well.”
Fair enough. But it probably won’t hurt the Presidents’ chances if Jen Reitemeyer is toeing the rubber.