Amy Sadowl ended her playing career at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County last year as one of the top pitchers in program history.
She finished second all-time in UMBC history in career wins (43), innings pitched (489), games started (77), appearances (102) and saves (2). She is also fifth in career strikeouts (212) and posted the second-most wins in a single season by a Retrievers pitcher when she won 18 games as a freshman in 2003.
But the impact Sadowl makes this season on the Retrievers? bench could outweigh anything she did on the mound. She took over this season as UMBC’s pitching coach, overseeing a staff that is nearly a run per game better than it was a year ago.
UMBC head coach Joe French said Sadowl is a natural for the position, being a very knowledgeable pitcher who won more often from being smart rather than just zipping fastballs by hitters.
“Amy brought a calmness to this team,” French said. “She was a very crafty pitcher. She has been a big influence on the staff this year from Day 1. That’s just how she was as a player. Amy never got rattled, and you could never tell if we were up 4-0 or down 4-0.”
One of the first people to benefit from Sadowl’s presence is freshman Amanda Fefel. French said Sadowl has helped Fefel, a Catonsville High graduate, develop a changeup while working with her on other breaking pitches.
Fefel said Sadowl and catcher Krissy Licursi have been big influences on her as she makes the leap from high school to college.
“Krissy knows all of the batters and really calls a great game and helps me with pitch selection,” Fefel said. “Amy does a great job spotting problems with my mechanics and other aspects of my delivery.”
Serving as pitching coach is just the latest way Sadowl has managed to extend her softball career. She spent last summer playing professionally in the Netherlands for a team called Onze Gezellen.
“All of the pitchers on this team have done this for a long time and have their own style of pitching,” Sadowl said. “I don’t try to change anything that has helped those players get to this level. I just try to remind them what they have to do tobe successful.”
SADOWL NOTES
» Former UMBC pitcher and current team pitching coach Amy Sadowl completed her college playing career fourth in school history in complete games (43), sixth in winning percentage (.606) and tenth in ERA (2.82).
» A shoulder injury limited Sadowl to just 14 appearances in 2006. She went 5-3 with a 3.85 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 47.1 innings.
» Sadowl expects to graduate from UMBC in May with a degree in American studies.
