Women's Softball News

CATCHING UP WITH FORMER SOFTBALL PLAYER ERIN WALTERSDORFF

November 21, 2005 - Erin Waltersdorff pitched for the CSM softball team in 2001 and 2002.  During the 2001 season she was the team MVP, as she finished with a 16-10 record,  2.01 ERA, and 117 strike-outs.  She also batted .316 with 14 RBI's as the Hawks finished with a 25-14 record.

     In 2002, Waltersdorff pitched almost every inning for the Hawks, finishing with a 29-6 record, 1.95 ERA, and 157 strike-outs.  She was 2nd Team All-American, as she led CSM to a 30-7 record.

     Recently we caught up with Erin, and were able to ask her some questions about that season, and what she's doing now.

1. Share some of your memories from your playing career.  What were the highlights?

I have many memories and highlights of my 2-year softball career at CSM.  During my freshman year, we took a weekend trip to New York.  We were able to get into the city the day/night before our tournament started.  While we were in the city, we browsed around the streets, ate pizza and went to the top of the Empire State Building.  However, my sophomore year was most memorable.  Not because it was the last season I played at CSM, but because I knew the girls much better and they were all my friends.  We were ranked No. 7 in the USA and had a much better season, as well.  We played a lot of ball that season and I threw so many innings.  An unforgettable highlight was playing again with a childhood friend of mine from Little League.  Stephanie “Scooter Boot” Blaydoe rode her scooter down the big hill to the softball diamond before practice one sunny afternoon.  She definitely kept us all prepared for anything and everything that season.  I’ll never forget the Hagerstown tourney that we walked away Champions of.  It was a chilly, rainy weekend and we played 6 or 7 games during the Saturday and Sunday tournament stretch.  I believe I pitched all, but 2 innings.  However, we pulled it out and won the tournament.  The highlights of my career at CSM has to be the teammates I was able to play again with, the teammates I met and made friends with and all the individual and team awards we all deservingly received.

2. During your sophomore year (2001-02) you pitched almost every inning for the Hawks, including all six games in the Hagerstown tournament, won by CSM, where you were named MVP.  Describe what that was like.

The 2002 season was intense.  I was not expecting to be the only pitcher and have to throw so many games.  It was an incredible experience for me and definitely showed me what I was capable of.  As mentioned above, the Hagerstown tourney was a huge highlight to my sophomore season.  It was a chilly, rainy and messy weekend to be playing softball.  As the only pitcher, you have to realize that I couldn’t have managed a winning weekend and champions of the tournament without my teammates.  They had my back, made the defensive plays and were prepared offensively to score some runs.  Saturday was a cold, miserable day, but I was fresh and the 3 or 4 games we played weren’t too bad for me.  I became tired and lost velocity throughout the day, but other than that I managed to do pretty well.  Now Sunday was another story.  I woke up with my arm hanging past my knee.  I knew it was going to be a struggle, but somehow I made it through with the assistance of the CSM All-Stars, which is something we called ourselves.  Sunday was a single-elimination round, however our team came through with wins, including the championship game.  Truly, I don’t recall much from that Sunday, except finally ending the championship game.  The weather was freezing and my arm was basically numb.  It was definitely an experience that I’ll never totally forget and of course receiving MVP for that particular tournament was an honor.
 

3. What has happened in your life since leaving CSM?

I continued playing fast pitch in Greenbelt for a women’s summer league from 2002-2004 for Regional Electric Tornadoes.  We won the league those three seasons and I believe they won it again this past summer.  Our team was great, made up of local stars, UMCP ballplayers and some CSM All-Stars.  In 2002-2003, I moved to Baltimore to attend Towson University.  Went there for a year, completed some classes and came back to Waldorf.  I’ve been working for a commercial real estate office in Brandywine since the summer of 2003.  In the fall of 2003, I transferred to University of Maryland, University College.  Began as a full-time student, but that quickly changed; working and making money became a demand.  I attend UMUC part-time and have a few courses left to complete before receiving my bachelor’s degree.  Other than that, I have been able to stay close to my family, whom are extremely important to me.
 

4. What are your goals for the future?

It will be a total relief once I graduate with my Bachelor’s in Legal Studies from UMUC.  I only have a few more courses to complete my degree and anticipate graduating sometime in 2006.  I enjoy my current job and am comfortable there, but eventually I plan to have a more professional career in the Government or in the Legal or Real Estate fields.  I’m eager to get into something that I totally enjoy and make great money.  I’d like to purchase my own place, rather than continuing to rent, within the next couple years.  And of course, someday I’d like to be a great guy’s wife and have some kiddies of our own… someday, of course.
 

5. Are you still involved with softball in any way?

Unfortunately, I’m not really involved with softball anymore.  I didn’t return to the Greenbelt league this past summer and told them all I could commit to was being a sub.  I played a few games of slow-pitch this past fall, but my time was limited and it wasn’t as enjoyable as I had anticipated.  The game was slower and I became frustrated with trying to hit the arched ball.  Maybe I’ll attempt to try again in a few years.  I’ve just become a spectator of the sport.  I watch the College Playoffs each spring on ESPN2.  Both of my sisters still play, so I go out to watch and support them.  I may get into working with my 13-year old sister, Christin on her pitching skills, but as of right now, our Dad sort of takes care of that.
 

6. Do you still stay in touch with any of your CSM teammates?

I see, talk, email and hang-out with some teammates.  Since our days at CSM, I have met up with Stacy Bean and Jen Brown each spring for the opening of the Tiki Bar in Solomon’s.  It’s always a good time with those ladies.  I lived with Amanda Kidwell in Baltimore, but have not seen her in a while.  I still see Allison Middleton, been friends since those unforgettable high school days.  Andrea Brady married my cousin in 2003, but don’t see them as often as I used to.  Andrea, Megan Oursler and Amanda Boswell played in the Greenbelt fast pitch league at least one or two seasons while I was there.  So we were able to play a couple seasons together again.  Was able to see and hang out with Mickey Johnson last year before she joined the Coast Guard.  Haven’t seen or spoken to her recently because she isn’t in the area.  Been a year or more since I’ve seen Mandy McVerry, Kristin Tucker, etc.