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University of Massachusets Athletics
Red-Hot Mollica, Brakettes Gear For Olympians
July 16, 2008 | Softball
July 16, 2008
The U.S. team will get a chance to decide for itself July 20, when it faces the powerhouse Brakettes in an exhibition game at the Brakettes' field in Stratford, Conn.
This is the third year that slugger from Windham has played with the Brakettes, who were the Women Majors national champions in 2006 and 2007 with respective records of 46-4 and 56-4. She hit a robust .440 two years ago and .317 last year, when she was slowed by a concussion that cost her part of the season. Those numbers pale compared to this year.
While the Brakettes have zoomed to a 28-0 record, Mollica is hitting a sizzling .528 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs. She leads the team in average and the home runs are five more than anyone else on the club.
This is coming off another fine year at UMass Amherst, in which she batted .329 and made All-Atlantic 10.
"I'm just going in with a more aggressive mindset," said Mollica, explaining her recent tear. "I'm jumping on the first pitch that looks hittable because I know I might not get a lot of good pitches. This summer, I wanted to not let one single pitch get by me that looks even halfway good. I'm keeping my mind set on that."
Although she claims it makes no difference where she plays in the field, it could be that Mollica is more relaxed playing first base rather than her normal slot at third base.
"Really, it doesn't matter where I play, but I'm having a lot of fun playing first," said Mollica. "I like the idea of being involved in a lot more plays."
Mollica definitely won't mind where she is playing July 20 against the Olympians.
"That's going to be awesome, probably the best moment of my career," she said. "I've played against some of them (Olympians) and it's going to be great to see how we do. It's going to be an honor."
At the rate she's going, Mollica might have been a candidate for a U.S. Olympic team in 2012, except that there will be no softball at the 2012 Games. It will return in 2016.
"It's too bad ... I'll probably be too old then (2016)," said Mollica, a sports management major at UMass. "But I'm excited about playing this year's team."
Mollica does have softball aspirations following her senior year in college. She's hoping to get a shot in the National Pro Fastpitch League or, if that doesn't work out, perhaps play professionally in Italy.
"I'd love to play (professionally), but I can't count on it," said Mollica. "I have to keep improving and see what happens."
Her coach with the Brakettes, John Stratton, likes her chances.
"Her hitting will put her in the pros," said Stratton to the Connecticut Post. "She's got a nice stroke. Whether they draft her, I don't know, but they like people who hit the ball hard. It's up to her, how hard she wants to work."
Family support high
Dave and Donna Mollica get to most of UMass Amherst's games, home and away, and they follow their daughter throughout the summer. On most weekends, they pick up Whitney in Amherst, travel an hour and a half to Stratford and share accommodations at a hotel for the weekend while the Brakettes are playing multiple games.
"They've probably missed only seven games in three years, for college and in the summer," said Mollica. "They're always there. We make it a family event."
Mollica's father knows players and teams from around the country and is as knowledgeable as they come about amateur softball.
