Missy Zoch Taking Care of Unfinished Business at Tech
Missy Zoch is taking care of unfinished business.
The La Grange High School graduate’s pitching performance to start the season is just what the graduate student wanted for her fifth year of softball, third for Texas Tech University.
The right-hander opened with a 5-2 record and 2.69 earned run average in eight outings, including seven starts. She allowed three hits and two earned runs March 12 against New Mexico in earning her second complete-game victory. She struck out a season-high eight.
“I didn’t like how my senior year ended,” she said about the shutdown season, when she was 4-3 with a 2.53 ERA. “I thought coming back would give me an opportunity to end on a higher personal note.”
Her most dominating win came when Zoch allowed one hit and in seven scoreless innings against Abilene Christian. She struck out a season-high seven.
She allowed two hits in four scoreless innings and fanned five to earn a win against North Dakota State.
Because she isn’t overpowering, she said she relies on her changeup and offspeed pitches to attack hitters. “I’m really keeping the hitters off-balance mixing speeds,” she said.
Texas State’s batters reached her for seven hits, including three for extra bases, in five and one-third innings, but she earned the win. “I really had to rely on my defense that game to keep them to just one or two bases,” she said.
Zoch surrendered three consecutive hits and two earned runs in the sixth inning of that game. Yet she ended the rally by retiring batters on a flyout and foul out.
“I used to always get down on myself when things didn’t go my way,” she said. “I’ve really grown mentally to come back after those rough days.”
Fayette Co. Record’s Athlete of the Week
Recent FCR Athletes of the Week
Jan. 29: Emma Jurecka, Fayetteville Basketball
Feb. 5: Hector Orona, La Grange Soccer
Feb. 12: Morgan Marburger, Schulenburg Basketball
Feb. 26: La Grange boys and girls basketball teams
March 5: Bryce Wilson, Schulenburg Basketball
March 12: Alex Lozano, Schulenburg Basketball
March 19: Missy Zoch, Texas Tech Softball (from LG)