Belcher breaks stolen base mark
Joe Barker
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Sports
In the fifth inning of Sunday's game against Augustana College (S.D.), softball head coach Erin Brown gave senior Christen Belcher the green light to take second.
The right fielder rocked back and took off toward second base after the Vikings' Mickey Anderson released the pitch. The throw from Anderson was high - perfect for a catcher to throw to second base.
Belcher hit the dirt and, for the 42nd time this season and the 153rd time in her career, stole a base.
"She was safe by a mile," Brown said.
The steal gave Belcher the claim of the top base stealer in MIAA history, breaking the mark set in 1998 by Becca Alt of the former University of Missouri-Rolla.
"Once I was safe at the base I was excited, but I didn't show it," Belcher said. "My teammates were yelling for me and just giving me all kinds of encouragement and supports. I was just doing mental backflips - it was just really rewarding."
Knowing the record was within reach, Brown decided to send Belcher on the first pitch. The Vikings, knowing Belcher's tendency to steal - she averages more than one per game - cheated the shortstop toward second in preparation for the throw from the catcher. Still, Belcher easily beat the throw.
"As I was running, I was thinking the same thing as always: Slide low and foot to the bag, and just hope for the best," she said.
Belcher reached base in the third inning but never got a chance to break the record. Brown wanted to wait for the third pitch of the at-bat before sending Belcher, but sophomore second baseman Erica LaCombe singled on the second pitch of the at-bat.
Brown said she told Belcher she was going to send her on the next pitch, had there been one.
"The thing with her is she doesn't care [about stats], she just wants to win," Brown said.
Belcher started her base-stealing career as a Bulldog with 24 steals in 35 attempts in her freshman season. In 2006 she shattered the old Truman record of 37 stolen bases by swiping 45. She added 42 in 2007 and with 42 more this year, she sits alone atop the MIAA record book.
"I had no idea any of this would ever occur," she said. "I didn't know any of the numbers. I didn't know any of the records."
The record comes in the midst of Belcher's statistically best season. With the MIAA tournament still looming, Belcher already has established career highs in batting average, slugging percentage, runs, doubles and runs batted in. Her season average of .425 is second-best in the MIAA.
Her 42 steals this year are best in the MIAA and fourth-best in all of Div. II.
"I think of her as just one of the toughest outs to get," Brown said. "As an opposing team, gosh, I would hate to see her in the lineup."
Despite the record, Belcher hasn't gotten caught up in being the new all-time leader in steals.
"It hasn't really set in," she said. "... It's probably the milestone of my career at Truman, but it's really just surreal."
The right fielder rocked back and took off toward second base after the Vikings' Mickey Anderson released the pitch. The throw from Anderson was high - perfect for a catcher to throw to second base.
Belcher hit the dirt and, for the 42nd time this season and the 153rd time in her career, stole a base.
"She was safe by a mile," Brown said.
The steal gave Belcher the claim of the top base stealer in MIAA history, breaking the mark set in 1998 by Becca Alt of the former University of Missouri-Rolla.
"Once I was safe at the base I was excited, but I didn't show it," Belcher said. "My teammates were yelling for me and just giving me all kinds of encouragement and supports. I was just doing mental backflips - it was just really rewarding."
Knowing the record was within reach, Brown decided to send Belcher on the first pitch. The Vikings, knowing Belcher's tendency to steal - she averages more than one per game - cheated the shortstop toward second in preparation for the throw from the catcher. Still, Belcher easily beat the throw.
"As I was running, I was thinking the same thing as always: Slide low and foot to the bag, and just hope for the best," she said.
Belcher reached base in the third inning but never got a chance to break the record. Brown wanted to wait for the third pitch of the at-bat before sending Belcher, but sophomore second baseman Erica LaCombe singled on the second pitch of the at-bat.
Brown said she told Belcher she was going to send her on the next pitch, had there been one.
"The thing with her is she doesn't care [about stats], she just wants to win," Brown said.
Belcher started her base-stealing career as a Bulldog with 24 steals in 35 attempts in her freshman season. In 2006 she shattered the old Truman record of 37 stolen bases by swiping 45. She added 42 in 2007 and with 42 more this year, she sits alone atop the MIAA record book.
"I had no idea any of this would ever occur," she said. "I didn't know any of the numbers. I didn't know any of the records."
The record comes in the midst of Belcher's statistically best season. With the MIAA tournament still looming, Belcher already has established career highs in batting average, slugging percentage, runs, doubles and runs batted in. Her season average of .425 is second-best in the MIAA.
Her 42 steals this year are best in the MIAA and fourth-best in all of Div. II.
"I think of her as just one of the toughest outs to get," Brown said. "As an opposing team, gosh, I would hate to see her in the lineup."
Despite the record, Belcher hasn't gotten caught up in being the new all-time leader in steals.
"It hasn't really set in," she said. "... It's probably the milestone of my career at Truman, but it's really just surreal."
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