"We still feel like the underdogs,'' Healy said."But it (the
ranking) does help give us a
little more validity out there
which we're all excited about.''
"We won't talk to them in terms of an accomplishment yet,'' she said. "But we'll talk about it
― at least, there's a little recognition. We've been
such the underdogs in so many ways.
"We still feel like the underdogs,'' she quickly
reiterated. "But it (the ranking) does help give us
a little more validity out there which we're all excited about.''
One of the more exciting players in the Big Ten
has been the 5-foot-4 Massei, who opened the
season on an 11-game hitting streak, tying her
career long.
Not only is Massei leading the Badgers in
batting average (.454) but she has matched her
home run total (4) from a year ago and driven in
27 runs, just three shy of what she finished with
last season.
Massei, a dynamic leadoff hitter, has a remarkable .704 slugging percentage, which includes
a Big Ten-high 49 hits and a walk-off homer ―
UW's first in nearly four years ― against Notre
Dame.
"She's just healthier this year,'' Healy said of
Massei, a Chino Hills, Calif., native. "She missed
half of her first year with us and battled injuries
last year in the fall. This is her first complete season.''
Massei is making the most of it, too. "Since
I've been injured, this is my first year that I've
actually lifted (weights),'' she pointed out. "Being healthy has been a major factor.''
At the moment, the only thing more challenging than pitching to Massei is trying to get her
to talk about her accomplishments. "It's not just
a couple of people that make this team,'' she
stressed.
No matter how many lobs you may leave over
39
