During the home plate meeting before an April 6 game againstPenn State, Northwestern coach Kate Drohan handed her lineup cardto the umpire and opposing coach, just as she always does.
Lady Lions coach Robin Petrini looked at Drohan and asked her ifanything looked funny. Drohan had penciled in 10 Wildcats (21-11,3-5 Big Ten) on the lineup card, something that puzzledPetrini.
Although Petrini was confused, Drohan hadn’t made a mistake. Shewas utilizing the designated player (DP) position.
The DP can bat for one player in the starting lineup, and theplayer the DP bats for is called the 10th player. The DP playsoffense — bats and runs — for the 10th player. The 10th playerplays defense only, but can be at any defensive position. The DPcannot change positions in the batting order throughout the entiregame and can only bat and run for the 10th player. While every teamhas the option of using the DP, Drohan seems to use it far morethan other coaches.
Petrini has not been the only person to question Drohan abouther coaching moves.
“Many times I’ll make a substitution in the game, and the umpirewon’t even understand it. And I’m serious,” Drohan said. “Theumpire is like, ‘Wait a minute Coach, you can’t do that.’ And Ihave to explain it to him or her.”
Coaches may only use the designated player if they write it onthe lineup card before the game.
“Parents of seniors don’t understand it,” Drohan said. “Some ofmy players don’t even understand.”
“(My players) come up to me and say, ‘Do I still hit, who’splaying defense, you took me out of defense, but I can still hitnow?'” Drohan said. “That’s why we have the magnetic board in thedugout. They just look here and know if I switch it around.”
Robyn Pettinger has been effective as a DP for the Cats, going4-for-6 in the April 6 doubleheader against the Lady Lions. Thisseason the senior is batting .288, with 12 runs, three home runs,11 RBIs and a .508 slugging percentage.
“It’s been a fulfilling role. I wouldn’t take it back,”Pettinger said. “It’s doing something to help the team, moving therunner or getting a base hit.”
Drohan said the depth of this year’s team has given her manychances to change her starting lineup in addition to using theDP.
“I go out and recruit pitchers who can hit just so I have thisopportunity,” she said.
Center fielder Jessie Wellnitz said the position allows her tocontribute offensively. Leading the team in stolen bases, Wellnitzhas 11 and has only been caught stealing once.
Wellnitz, a senior, said NU’s use of the DP has become a muchbigger part of the team’s strategy since her freshman year.
“They’ve never used it like they have this year,” Wellnitz said.”I haven’t seen other teams use it as much as we do.”
Sharon Drysdale, former NU coach and chair of the NCAA softballrules committee, said more coaches have begun using the DP.
“It’s changed the game quite a bit because it’s allowed peoplewho have kids who are fast and kids who can’t get on base, to geton base and score runs,” Drysdale said. “People didn’t know how touse it and abuse it. It’s a simple rule that has begun to take moreand more pages in the rule book.”
For the past two years at the National Fastpitch CoachesAssociation Convention, Drysdale has given a 30-minute presentationto educate hundreds of NCAA coaches about the DP rule.
“She has overheads and PowerPoint presentations on the DP rule,”Drohan said. “The place is packed because people don’t get it.”
