Nikki Nemitz
Encyclopedia
Nikki Nemitz is an All-American pitcher
for the Michigan Wolverines softball
team. Nemitz earned first-team NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-American honors in 2009.
Nemitz attended Regina High School
, a Catholic high school in Harper Woods, Michigan
. Nemitz helped lead the Regina Saddlelites to three consecutive Class A Michigan state championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Her high school pitching record was 71-2, with an ERA of 0.25. She was the 2006 Michigan Gatorade
Softball Player of the Year and a 2006 Louisville Slugger/NFCA High School All-American.
In May 2006, Detroit Free Press
writer Chris Silva wrote a column about Nemitz and about his attempt to hit her pitches. Of the 20 or so pitches Nemitz threw to Silva, he wrote, "I made contact on only two - one a soft dribbler, the other a dinky foul ball that really stung my hands." Silva wrote that Nemitz's fastball slipped past him so fast that, "It made me flinch. I actually felt a breeze, and my knees buckled. Sometimes I was too shocked at how fast it was to even swing."
. It didn't hurt that the Michigan women's softball team coached by Hall of Famer Carol Hutchins
had won the 2005 Women's College World Series
shortly before Nemitz signed her letter of intent in November 2005.
and 211 strikeout
s. In February 2009, she threw a perfect game
as the Wolverines beat Birmingham-Southern College
8-0 in a five-inning, mercy-shortened game, striking out seven of the 15 batters she faced. She struck out a career best 15 in a game against Wisconsin in April 2008. Later that month, Nemitz won her 20th game of the season, a 10-0 mercy-shortened three-hitter over Michigan
State in which Nemitz also hit a grand slam
high over the foul pole in right field. After the game, Nemitz told a reporter, "I couldn't really tell (if it was a fair ball), but once they pointed fair, I just sprinted around the bases. This is the first day my hitting actually outshined my pitching, which is a little weird for me." She attracted further attention in May 2008 when she pitched three strong innings against the U.S. Olympic team. One newspaper account described her achievement as follows:
Nemitz was honored as an NFCA All-America third team pitcher and was named the All-Great Lakes
Region first team pitcher for the second straight year.
Nemitz also proved to be a good hitter as a sophomore, starting 54 games as Michigan’s designated player.
. In the tournament, Nemitz was 2-0 with a 0.42 ERA, striking out 29 batters and hitting .500 with two RBIs. In March 2009, Nemitz pitched a complete game 4-0 shutout against one of the country's top teams, the University of Arizona. After the game, the Tucson Citizen
wrote:
. Michigan Coach Carol Hutchins noted Nemitz's focus and determination in 2009: "She's been Zen-like this year. Quiet, masterful, just stays in her moment. She's done an outstanding job."
At the end of the regular season, Nemitz was honored as a Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America first-team selection. She became the first pitcher in Michigan Wolverines softball history to start her career with three consecutive 20-win seasons.
, 8-1, in the NCAA Super Regional at Ann Arbor.
On May 29, 2009, Nemitz threw a three-hitter in the Women's College World Series as Michigan beat No. 4 ranked Alabama
, 6-1. Nemitz was pitching a shutout until Whitney Larsen hit an RBI double with Alabama down to its last out.
On May 30, 2009, Nemtiz was the losing pitcher in Michigan's 1-0 loss to the University of Florida as Florida shortstop Megan Bush hit a solo home run to break a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth inning. After the loss, Nemitz gave credit to Florida senior Stacey Nelson
who threw a one-hitter against the Wolverines: "She throws hard. She can go to either side of the plate. You just have to be ready for it. She can pinpoint her position, perfectly. She can bring the ball up a little bit, put it down. And she can keep you off speed with that change-up, as well."
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Michigan Wolverines softball
Michigan Wolverines softball
The Michigan Wolverines softball team represents the University of Michigan in National Collegiate Athletics Association Division I competition. College softball became a varsity sport at the University of Michigan in 1978. Carol Hutchins has been the head coach since 1985...
team. Nemitz earned first-team NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-American honors in 2009.
Regina High School
Nemitz's left arm made her a star athlete from an early age. Her mother noted that even family walks turned into races between Nikki and her brother. Her mother recalled, "They used to race from tree to tree. Everything was a competition."Nemitz attended Regina High School
Regina High School (Michigan)
Regina High School is a Roman Catholic, private, four year college preparatory high school for girls in Warren, Michigan. From the school's founding in 1956 through June, 2007, Regina was located in Harper Woods, Michigan, but moved to Warren, Michigan at the start of the 2007-2008 school year...
, a Catholic high school in Harper Woods, Michigan
Harper Woods, Michigan
Harper Woods is a city located on the eastside of suburban Detroit, Michigan, United States. The city is located in Wayne County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 14,236.- History :...
. Nemitz helped lead the Regina Saddlelites to three consecutive Class A Michigan state championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Her high school pitching record was 71-2, with an ERA of 0.25. She was the 2006 Michigan Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
Softball Player of the Year and a 2006 Louisville Slugger/NFCA High School All-American.
In May 2006, Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
writer Chris Silva wrote a column about Nemitz and about his attempt to hit her pitches. Of the 20 or so pitches Nemitz threw to Silva, he wrote, "I made contact on only two - one a soft dribbler, the other a dinky foul ball that really stung my hands." Silva wrote that Nemitz's fastball slipped past him so fast that, "It made me flinch. I actually felt a breeze, and my knees buckled. Sometimes I was too shocked at how fast it was to even swing."
University of Michigan
Nemitz was highly recruited out of high school, but chose to remain close to home, enrolling at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. It didn't hurt that the Michigan women's softball team coached by Hall of Famer Carol Hutchins
Carol Hutchins
Carol "Hutch" Hutchins is an American softball coach. In 27 years as the head coach of Michigan Wolverines softball , she has more than 1,200 career wins, more than any other coach in University of Michigan history in any sport, male or female...
had won the 2005 Women's College World Series
Women's College World Series
The Women's College World Series is the final portion of the NCAA Division I Softball Championship for college softball in the United States. The tournament format consists of two four-team double-elimination brackets. The winners of each bracket then compete in a best-of-three title game series...
shortly before Nemitz signed her letter of intent in November 2005.
2007 season
As a freshman in 2007, Nemitz started 25 games and had a 22-4 pitching record with a 1.88 ERA and 152 strikeouts. In February 2007, Nemitz was the winning pitcher in the 1,000th career coaching victory for Michigan coach Carol Hutchins. She was selected as an All-Big Ten Conference first team pitcher as a freshman and threw a complete-game two-hitter in the NCAA Super Regional against Baylor. After completing her freshman season, Nemitz told her hometown newspaper, "It's better than even I could have imagined. I just love Michigan. School is tough, softball is great."2008 season
In her sophomore season, Nemitz improved to 21-4 with a 1.04 ERAEarned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and 211 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s. In February 2009, she threw a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
as the Wolverines beat Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham–Southern College is a 4-year, private liberal arts college located three miles northwest of downtown Birmingham. Founded in 1856, it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Approximately 1400 students from 30 states and 23 foreign countries attend the college...
8-0 in a five-inning, mercy-shortened game, striking out seven of the 15 batters she faced. She struck out a career best 15 in a game against Wisconsin in April 2008. Later that month, Nemitz won her 20th game of the season, a 10-0 mercy-shortened three-hitter over Michigan
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
State in which Nemitz also hit a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
high over the foul pole in right field. After the game, Nemitz told a reporter, "I couldn't really tell (if it was a fair ball), but once they pointed fair, I just sprinted around the bases. This is the first day my hitting actually outshined my pitching, which is a little weird for me." She attracted further attention in May 2008 when she pitched three strong innings against the U.S. Olympic team. One newspaper account described her achievement as follows:
"For three innings, Nikki Nemitz almost matched who might be the best softball pitcher in the world out for out. Nemitz, a sophomore. Not just a sophomore, but a kid who came to the University of Michigan a year ago an unknown, without any other big-time softball offers. Yet, there she was - shutout inning in the third, one run allowed in the fourth, shutout in the fifth, one run in the sixth, against the U.S. Olympic softball team. ... If you don't follow college softball, the best analogy to understand what Michigan pitchers Nemitz and Jordan TaylorJordan TaylorJordan Taylor was a 3 time 2nd Team All-American right-handed pitcher for the Michigan Wolverines softball team from 2008-2011 and is currently on the U.S. Women's Futures national softball team.-Valencia:...
were up against at Alumni Field would be to imagine college kids - a sophomore and a true freshman - being asked to pitch to a major league baseball team. No, not just a major league team, but an All-Star team, the best nine hitters in the country."
Nemitz was honored as an NFCA All-America third team pitcher and was named the All-Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
Region first team pitcher for the second straight year.
Nemitz also proved to be a good hitter as a sophomore, starting 54 games as Michigan’s designated player.
2009 season
As a junior in 2009, Nemitz had a record of 28-5 with a 0.89 ERA and 295 strikeouts. She opened the season with an 18-strikeout three-hitter against Pittsburgh. In February, she was named MVP at the FAU Classic in Boca Raton, FloridaBoca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
. In the tournament, Nemitz was 2-0 with a 0.42 ERA, striking out 29 batters and hitting .500 with two RBIs. In March 2009, Nemitz pitched a complete game 4-0 shutout against one of the country's top teams, the University of Arizona. After the game, the Tucson Citizen
Tucson Citizen
The Tucson Citizen was a daily newspaper in Tucson, Arizona. It was founded by Richard C. McCormick with John Wasson as publisher and editor on October 15, 1870 as the Arizona Citizen....
wrote:
"Nikki Nemitz still has University of ArizonaIn April 2009, Nemitz hit a three-run home run, struck out 14 batters and won her 17th game, a 4-1 win over MinnesotaUniversity of ArizonaThe University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
's number. The Michigan pitcher shut down UA softball team for the second straight year, tossing a two-hitter in the Wolverines' 4-0 win over No. 12 UA at the Judi GarmanJudi GarmanJudi Garman is a former college softball coach. She was the head softball coach at Cal State Fullerton from 1980 to 1999 and led Fullerton to the 1986 Women's College World Series championship...
Classic in Fullerton, Calif.Fullerton, CaliforniaFullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 135,161.It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
, on Sunday. ... Nemitz (12-3) struck out 11 and walked two. Last year, she also tossed a two-hit shutout in Michigan's 2-0 win over the Wildcats."
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. Michigan Coach Carol Hutchins noted Nemitz's focus and determination in 2009: "She's been Zen-like this year. Quiet, masterful, just stays in her moment. She's done an outstanding job."
At the end of the regular season, Nemitz was honored as a Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America first-team selection. She became the first pitcher in Michigan Wolverines softball history to start her career with three consecutive 20-win seasons.
2009 post-season
On May 23, 2009, Nemitz helped lead the Wolverines to the Women's College World Series with a complete game win over BaylorBaylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
, 8-1, in the NCAA Super Regional at Ann Arbor.
On May 29, 2009, Nemitz threw a three-hitter in the Women's College World Series as Michigan beat No. 4 ranked Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, 6-1. Nemitz was pitching a shutout until Whitney Larsen hit an RBI double with Alabama down to its last out.
On May 30, 2009, Nemtiz was the losing pitcher in Michigan's 1-0 loss to the University of Florida as Florida shortstop Megan Bush hit a solo home run to break a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth inning. After the loss, Nemitz gave credit to Florida senior Stacey Nelson
Stacey Nelson
Stacey Nelson is an American former All-American pitcher for the Florida Gators softball team. Nelson is considered one of the best pitchers in NCAA softball history, earning 2008-2009 First-Team NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-American honors, 2008-2009 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year...
who threw a one-hitter against the Wolverines: "She throws hard. She can go to either side of the plate. You just have to be ready for it. She can pinpoint her position, perfectly. She can bring the ball up a little bit, put it down. And she can keep you off speed with that change-up, as well."
2010 season
As a senior in 2010, Nemitz compiled a record of 21-3 with an ERA 1.70 and 173 strikeouts in 144 innings pitched.External links
- M Go Blue Softball: Nikki Nemitz
- VIDEO: Michigan Softball's Dynamic Duo- Pitchers Nikki Nemitz & Jordan Taylor
- Nikki Nemitz a two-way ace for U-M softball, David Goricki, The Detroit News
- Michigan softball team's Nikki Nemitz named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year; coach Carol Hutchins named league's Coach of the Year, Kevin Ryan, The Ann Arbor News