Amanda Nordberg Photo by Marvin Pfeiffer

Cougarette hurler Nordberg known for focus

By Pat Turner
Contributing Writer

Amanda Nordberg never flinched.

Warren owned a 3-1 lead in the third inning and had an opportunity to do additional damage, but you couldn’t tell that by the Clark junior pitcher’s reaction.

With nerves of steel and faith in her defense, Nordberg calmly worked out of the jam and kept her opponent quiet the rest of the way.

In the meantime, the Cougarettes kept battling back, scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning for a 4-3 victory. It may have had one of those Hollywood-type endings, but for Nordberg it was just another day at the office.

“She is always that way,” Clark assistant Ana Rosas said. “She is so focused. One of our new coaches made a comment … that you can never tell how the game is going, because she always the same. She never gets too high or down. She is intense. She stays calm and gets the job done. She is a smart pitcher. She knows what to do.”

Nordberg doesn’t overpower opponents with a blazing fastball. Instead, she keeps them off balance with finesse. If they hit the ball, she is confident her defense will make the plays.

To take that approach to pitching, the focus must be just as sharp as the pitches. That is where her mental toughness enters the picture.

“I just don‘t let stuff bother me,” said Nordberg, who owns a 5-3 record with 51 strikeouts. “You can’t get upset. If you get down on your teammates, that is only  going to make them upset. I try to stay calm and keep them up the whole game. “

Nordberg carries added incentive this season. A year ago, she was rocking along with impressive work, before arm problems ended her pitching.

She was able to play first base and hit, but not being able to be on the mound was difficult.

Still, Nordberg made the most of the situation.

Now, she’s back to doing what she enjoys most. She is stronger, wiser and of course, tougher mentally.

“That was horrible,” said Nordberg, who still plays first base at times. “I was happy to be playing, but it was hard not to pitch. I was able to work on getting stronger and coming back. I love pitching. I like having control of the game and making a difference out there.”

Nordberg is making a difference. Her pitches are hitting the mark and her confidence is also at a higher level.

Monday’s win over Warren was a big boost for the Cougarettes, who had lost their previous two district games. Clark followed with a 10-7 win at Del Rio Wednesday, but stumbled in a 4-0 setback to Taft Friday.

Another win would have helped Clark’s cause, but the Cougarettes are still in good shape as far as playoffs are concerned.

Confidence is high for the Cougarettes (10-9, 4-3) and Nordberg is hoping they can continue to produce.

“It’s going to take a lot of effort,” Nordberg said. “We know we can win. We can’t let up. We have to keep playing hard.”