Sophomore pitcher Katie Chenault helped secure two wins over the weekend of March 14 for Allan Hancock College softball, bringing the Bulldogs’ winning streak to 13 games. On Saturday, Chenault fired off a two-run home run and nabbed 12 strikeouts to beat Southwestern College 5-0. Against Mt. San Antonio College on March 15, she allowed four runs on five hits and walked three for another 8-4 win.
Chenault is the lynchpin of Bulldogs’ softball defense, according to coach Scia Maumausolo. Off the field, Maumausolo said Chenault is humble, easygoing, lighthearted, and occasionally giddy. On the field, however, the Ernest Righetti High School graduate is composed and focused.
“Her mentality is what takes her to the next level,” Maumausolo said. “She has the ability to be nice and relaxed under pressure or in clutch situations when she’s on the mound. She has the ability to keep composure throughout the entire game.”
Maumausolo described Chenault as a team leader who has significantly improved her game at the community college level. Next year, she will leave the Bulldogs to pitch for CSU Northridge.
Chenault said that playing softball as a Division 1 athlete is a longtime dream of hers.
“My goal is to be present and try and get as much experience as I can,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to play D1 so it’s pretty amazing that I get the opportunity. I want to play and experience softball at a new level.”
Her dad raised her playing baseball. As Chenault tells it, she was 8 when he discovered softball—not having heard of it before—and enrolled her in a youth league. She started pitching at the age of 10 and pitched for Righetti in high school.
What does she enjoy about playing softball?
“It’s really fun to be able to have a skill that you’re good at and use it every day and get better and better at it,” she said. “It’s a good stress reliever. It’s a good connection I’ve had in my life to make all my friends and have positive vibes about everything.”
Chenault likes to throw a riseball, which looks like a conventional fastball but appears to ascend as it reaches the batter. Maumausolo, she said, has helped her to hide her pitches better and refine her style.
“She’s a really cool lady,” Chenault said.
Maumausolo is sad to see Chenault go but confident that she will succeed.
“With her maturity level at this point,” Maumausolo said, “she’s been able to handle whatever challenge comes her way, absolutely. I don’t worry about her.”
This article appears in Mar 19-26, 2015.