Hannan hopes to lead Cap back to CCS glory

Last week in the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division opener, Hannan and the Mustangs took a step toward an 11th CCS appearance. Using a strong defense behind her, Hannan opened the season by no-hitting Hillsdale.

It wasn't a typical no-hitter - although she struck out 10, the Knights managed six bases runners, three via walks and three more who reached on fielder's choices.

So Hannan was just as surprised as anyone when she found out she didn't allow a hit.

"I didn't feel that strong," Hannan said.

Yet mixing upward of six different pitches, Hannan was obviously strong enough. For her efforts Hannan has been named the San Mateo Daily Journal Athlete of the Week.

"The one thing about Roxanne is, she's very humble," said Capuchino coach Marty Jenkins. "You ask how she did it, she'll say her teammates. I think the reason she second-guessed (the no hitter) is she didn't throw her best game. That's what separates her from a lot of people, she could have an off-day and she'll push through it."

Hannan admits she is not a big strikeout pitcher. Not that she can't be. She fanned nearly half of the Hillsdale batters, but the other half were putouts by her defense. Hillsdale managed to hit only one ball out of the infield - which was the closest thing to a hit the Knights got all day. Hannan gave up only two popouts all game long. The other 10 outs came via groundouts.

She said she is confident in the players behind her to make plays, which eases her burden of having to make a perfect pitch every time and striking everyone out.

"We has a good defense, so I just try to keep it on the ground," Hannan said. "I was really just focusing on each pitch. You always have to concentrate on each pitch. I think I've always been strong mentally."

Jenkins credited Hannan's ability to get ground ball outs as a way to get through a game when Hannan doesn't have her best stuff. He said a lot of softball pitchers go for strikeouts all the time and it's not necessarily the goal. The goal is to get batters out. Some rely on fastballs that explode past batters. Hannan relies on location and defense to accomplish the same goal. The result is the same.

"She kept the ball down. When you don't have your best game, as long as you keep the ball down, you won't get hurt," Jenkins said. "That's a good sign of a pitcher who has confidence in her location. You don't have to throw a 70 mph fastball to get it past batters. She definitely gives the defense a chance to make plays. She's really confident that the people behind her and around her will get the job done. Some pitchers think they have to strike everybody out. She understands she doesn't always have to throw a strikeout."

It also helps when a pitcher can go to any of six different pitches to get a desired result. In her first two seasons with Cap, Hannan used mostly a fastball and changeup, while mixing in a curveball every now and then.

This year she's added a screw, rise and dropball, which gives her a potent arsenal. Granted, she's still working on the latter three, but it gives batters something else to think about when they stand in against her.

Which gives Hannan an advantage is after two seasons, the rest of the PAL has a book on Hannan. Conversely, Hannan has a book on PAL batters, which she doesn't necessarily enjoy.

"I know most of the girls in the league," Hannan said, adding in that it helps to know a batter's likes and dislikes. "But I kinda like not knowing them. [The approach to a particular batter] can change game to game and at-bat to at-bat."