Senior right-handed pitcher Devon Utterback paved the way for the Lady Rams in 2013 as they finished with 32-17 record and head into the PSAC Tournament with the third seed out of the PSAC East.
In 2010, despite joining a team that finished just 6-10 in the PSAC, Utterback knew she found the place for her.
“As soon as I stepped on campus it just felt right” said Utterback, “I could just see myself here.”
In her first season with the team, Utterback posted a solid 2-2 record in seven appearances in the circle. Her sophomore season saw her number of starts spike from just five her freshman season to 25 in 2011. She finished with a 17-6 record while posting an ERA of 2.99 and throwing eight complete games.
Her junior year, while posting a mediocre record of 14-13, Utterback improved in other areas. She lowered her ERA from the year before from 2.99 to 2.33 and three 18 complete games, 10 more than the previous year. Despite the inconsistency in the circle she was still selected to the first team All-PSAC.
“I knew after last season I was capable of more” said Utterback, “I was so hot and cold last year I would have a great game and then a not so great game. Coach kept repeating the phrase ‘consistently inconsistent’ to the team and it just kind of stuck with me, I just wanted to be consistent and show what I was capable of everyday.”
This season, Utterback leads a young, but experienced team that lost just two seniors from last year’s squad that finished 28-25 and 7-9 in conference play.
“It’s just different this year,” said Utterback on the difference between this year’s team and last year’s. “It is relaxed and everyone is having fun. Everyone truly gets along.”
This season, as one of the team’s three seniors, Utterback believes that resilience can be the difference between a good season and a great season.
“I think the biggest thing my fellow seniors and I have tried to show the underclassmen is to never give up” said Utterback, “Not everything is going to go your way, but if you stay confident and keep pushing through good things will happen.”
Utterback has also shown that she can go out and perform at a high level on a consistent basis. She finished the regular season with an impressive 18-7 mark with 19 complete games and seven shutouts. She is currently ranked 39th in the country in earned run average with a remarkable 1.63.
The team kicks off PSAC Tournament play on Wednesday when they face PSAC Central champs Lock Haven (28-12) in the first round. Despite finishing with mediocre conference record of 9-7, Utterback believes that this team is the best that she’s been on.
“I have never seen a team with such talent,” said Utterback. “I honestly feel we have not faced a team this year with more talent than us, but we need all 22 members of the team to truly believe we are the best and that when everyone comes together we cannot be beaten.”
As Utterback’s noteworthy college career comes to a close she looks to what lies ahead of her after she graduates from West Chester.
“I hope to pursue my masters in Urban Planning and eventually work in helping to develop stronger mass transit systems in developing cities” said Utterback. “However, I do have a love for coaching and hope to give back in some way and help younger girls fall in love with this game.”
Utterback’s career record stands at 51 wins and 28 losses with a total of 342 strikeouts in 515 innings pitched. Utterback and the rest of the Lady Rams will look to make some noise in this week’s double-elimination PSAC Tournament. Despite their performance they should then head into NCAA Regionals as they currently sit fourth in the Atlantic Region.
Riley Wallace is a fourth-year student majoring in communication studies with a journalism minor. He can be reached at RW718681@wcupa.edu.