The Lady Colonel pitching staff was supposed to consist of the one-two punch of hurlers Duffi Matherne and Kayci Keller this season. But with Keller out because of injury, Matherne has been forced to take on most of the pitching duties. In the Lady Colonels 41 games this season, Matherne has pitched 195 and 2/3 innings and is 12-16 on the year.
“It’s tougher on my arm than it is on me,” Matherne said smiling. “I can do well for a game, but when I have to pitch two or three games in a weekend it gets sore and hurts a lot.”
But the 20-year old native of French Settlement,La., is battling more than soreness.
“I had tendonitis and bursitis, and now it is hurting other muscles in my arm because they are having to overcompensate,” Matherne said. “In the game if I think about it, it hurts more. So I try to just put it aside in the game.”
Matherne, a nursing sophomore, has had to take a leadership role on this year’s Lady Colonel team which consists of 10 freshmen.
As a freshman last year, Matherne played and started in 59 of 61 games for the Lady Colonels. She played some first base and also pitched.
On the mound she struck out 79 batters and gave up 34 walks.
“Last season I was able to be a freshman, but this year I feel like I have to step it up to a senior’s level,” Matherne said. “I enjoy it though. I got stronger mentally, and I think I have improved since last season.”
Lady Colonel head coach Pattie Holthaus said she was proud of the way Matherne has battled this season.
“She is taking responsibility,” Holthaus said. “At first I think she was putting too much weight on her shoulders. We’re trying to get her to go out there and do the best she can, and hope the offense helps her out.”
The Lady Colonels are 18-23 overall and 2-13 in the Southland Conference, but have been close in a lot of their losses this season.
“It’s hard because we know we have a lot of talent and a lot of potential on this team,” Matherne said. “We are just as good as the other teams. It’s hard to understand why we aren’t winning.”
Matherne has had some help this year on the mound from a trio of freshmen.
“They (Lori Blanco, Fallon Cancienne and Christina Hanson) are good pitchers,” Matherne said. They just need to get it in their heads that they can do it, and they will be fine.”
Holthaus said people need to remember that Matherene is still young.
“I think Duffi has done a great job for us,” Holthaus said. “She is still learning and is only a sophomore. I have a lot of coaches in the conference say that she is so much better than last year.”
