Ken McMillian of the Times Herald Record (Middletown, N.Y.) spoke with Tara Fogarty, who recently became the all-time leader in strikeouts in Bentley University softball history. His article appeared in the April 23, 2011 edition of the paper and online at www.recordonine.com.

By Ken McMillan

Times Herald-Record, Published: 2:00 AM - 04/23/11

The new strikeout queen of Bentley University doesn't believe she's a strikeout pitcher at all.

Burke Catholic graduate Tara Fogarty of Chester set the school record April 10 and has the better part of a year and a month to extend her punch-out mark.

"I don't think I've ever been a strikeout pitcher," Fogarty said, "not even in high school."

Fogarty's 227th strikeout broke a record that had stood for 20 years. She has since added 29 K's to her mark.

Frankly, Fogarty believes she has the record because she pitches so often. Through Friday, the right-hander had appeared in all but two of Bentley's 32 games this season, making 22 starts and posting 19 complete games. She has two one-hitters and a two-hitter to her credit this season.

When she tossed her sixth shutout of the year Friday against Pace, she broke a school single-season record that had stood since 1989.

"It's been a busy one for me," Fogarty said, laughing.

"For the last two years, she's been our go-to pitcher," said Bentley head coach Michele DeGregorio, who has called upon Fogarty 53 times since the start of the 2010 season. Fogarty is one of three junior captains on the squad.

"I don't necessarily look at her as a strikeout pitcher, so that's an added bonus," DeGregorio added. "It goes to show you don't have to be the hardest thrower if you put the ball in the right places and hit the spots. She puts it in very tough spots, and she throws hard enough. ... You can swing and miss it."

DeGregorio said Fogarty has good movement on her pitches, good accuracy and a mental toughness that has hardened since she arrived at Bentley. She has a fastball, a screwball, a curveball, a change-up and a rise pitch in her arsenal. "They have all gotten better," DeGregorio said.

Even with Fogarty serving as the Falcons' workhorse, DeGregorio minced no words in telling Fogarty that she had better be in shape after she missed the fall workouts while studying business in Dublin.

"I worked my butt off and showed her I meant business," Fogarty said. "I did a lot of running over there (in Dublin) and stayed in shape athletically. ... I never let myself go."

Actually, the time away from the game refreshed Fogarty. "I felt better than I had in a long time," she said. Within three mound workouts, she was back to her old form. "It's like riding a bike," she said.

The biggest adjustment to the college game was being prepared to face a lineup with no weak links.

"I learned right away that pitching in college is so much more about mental toughness," Fogarty said. "You don't have the four easy outs, the four girls who will have weak grounders and strike out. They know what they are doing, and you have to beat them almost mentally. I learned the hard way. There's no going to sleep on batters."

Fogarty is part of the Bentley honors program, studying corporate finance, accounting and global perspectives.

"It's hard enough to go to school here in general," DeGregorio said, "but for her to be in the honors program, it says a lot."

Bentley (13-19), an NCAA Division II school in Waltham, Mass., has struggled this season. Through it all, Fogarty has managed to maintain her composure in the face of adversity, DeGregorio said.

"We're struggling," Fogarty said, "but at least for me, I'm still doing what I know how to do."

The Falcons are a young team, with no seniors, so Fogarty is looking forward to next season, when the team should be able to put its experience to good use.

Tara Fogarty file

Hometown: Chester

Height: 5-foot-4

High school highlights: A 2008 graduate of Burke Catholic … softball team's rookie of the year in 2005 … team captain as senior … earned 10 varsity letters in soccer, basketball and softball.

Bentley highlights: In 2009, posted 11-9 record and 2.66 ERA, striking out 79 in 123.2 innings. The 11 wins tied for second in a single-season.

In 2010, made a team-high 25 appearances, posting a 7-10 record and 3.38 ERA, striking out 70