Whether anyone knows it, or not, Long Beach State softball pitcher Erin Jones-Wesley has taken the Big West Conference by storm, and her team may be well on it’s way to doing the same.
The 49ers are 25-13 following a mediocre 26-26 campaign last year, and Jones-Wesley has the most wins, shutouts, and lowest ERA in the Big West, to go with two no-hitters through two-thirds of the way into the season.
Oh, and by the way, she’s only a freshman.
“She’s brought a lot of energy,” LBSU head coach Kim Sowder said. “As far as her work ethic, I think it’s contagious. She has a fun personality and she brings a lot of life to our team.”
Not only has she brought life to the ‘Niners, but it’s no secret Jones-Wesley’s 14 wins, eight shutouts, and 1.32 ERA has played a large part in their best overall mark in the Big West standings.
In 24 appearances this season, she has lost just four times, and ranks second in the conference in strikeouts (108).
However, the Alta Loma, Calif., native said there’s more to the game than just striking out batters.
“You just want to get an out, and help the team out,” Jones-Wesley said.
One would think there was a clear-cut method behind Jones-Wesley’s ability to get batters out, but she said the key to her consistent play is about maintaining a level head and staying focused.
“When you are too serious about things, everything gets really stressed out, and it’s not when the best results happen,” the Los Osos High School alumna said. “You have to stay loose.”
But the freshman sensation hasn’t just been mowing down opponents with her arm. She has been exceptional with the bat, too. Although she has only had 13 plate appearances, Jones-Wesley has collected six hits and three RBIs, including a go-ahead single that drove in teammate Liz Javier for the eventual 2-1 victory over DePaul earlier in the season.
She was also courted by most of the Big West schools and some out of state schools, but decided on LBSU because of the positive energy of the coaches.
“They are all very mellow and easy going people,” Jones-Wesley said. “It was a good fit.”
Teammate and LBSU first baseman Christina Schallig said the team has learned significantly from Jones-Wesley, and her “confidence and her positive vibes really carries us through the season.”
Sowder said while she was recruiting Jones-Wesley, she admired her pitching velocity and fierce competitiveness.
“She loves to compete out there and that’s what you need in a pitcher,” Sowder said. “They’ve got to believe that they’re the best, and she certainly has a lot of poise.”
That poise has been tested through some difficult games, though, including the time she led the 49ers to a 2-1 victory over then-No. 6-ranked Oklahoma on Feb. 25 at the Cathedral City Classic.
“It’s important to have good games,” Jones-Wesley said. “Oklahoma was a good game to know that I can beat the good teams.”
However, she also recognized the importance of a 7-3 loss to UCLA on March 11. In just four innings of work, Jones-Wesley allowed five runs, including a home run in the first pitch of the game when she has only allowed 28 runs all season.
“I think that really helped me to stay humble,” she said. “It helped me be able to bounce back and still be able to push myself and know that I can do it next time.”
And “bounce back” is what she did. The following game she pitched, she threw a no-hitter against Utah State. Not to mention, the game she threw before the UCLA loss was also a no-hitter, which gives her two on the year — one away from tying the school record for most in a single season.
Though hard work has always been an integral part of Jones-Wesley’s success, her talent wasn’t always apparent.
It all started when Jones-Wesley began playing softball at the age 7, before joining a travel team at age 10. She was always a pitcher, but for a while, she altered duties between pitching and catching. As she became older, though, she naturally found her place on the pitcher’s circle.
“I wasn’t very good when I was little, but, you know, perseverance,” the four-time Big West Pitcher of the Week said, referring to her continuing drive for progression.
Now a marketing major, Jones-Wesley said she has entertained the possibility of continuing her softball career after graduating from LBSU, but the freshman said she sees herself ultimately working for a marketing team for either Nike or Under Armour.
“Or,” she added: “Have my own business and be able to sell my ideas to a sports-type of business.”
For now, though, she is going to continue playing softball and riding her bike to the games with teammate and dormmate Karli Sandoval.
Jones-Wesley also said she has learned the importance of time management while attending LBSU, and not allowing herself to stress over “the little things,” though it would be intelligible in her case.
After all, she’s only a freshman who is carrying 15 units of classes, attending softball practices regularly, and of course, LBSU’s No. 1 starter.
But for the freshman ace, the pressure of having these new responsibilities have been worth it in the end because they allow her to do what she loves the most: play softball.
“You’ve just got to focus – really stay focused – and that’s what makes everything so much better,” Jones-Wesley said.
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