By Chris Wiley, On-line Forty-Niner
May 15, 1997
The pain in her right shoulder is so bad sometimes that she spent much of the time playing right field instead of catcher, her regular position. But Jessie Martinez wasn't about to miss a chance to play for a College World Series berth.
"(The coaches) asked me in the beginning of the season if I wanted to redshirt, but I said no," Martinez said. "I wanted to be a part of this team, because I knew we had a good chance to go to the College World Series. I'm glad I made that decision."
So is the Cal State Long Beach softball team.
In a season that has seen the 49ers have their ups and downs at the plate, Martinez has been the team's most consistent hitter. The junior from Chula Vista led CSULB with a .321 average, and was the only player on the team to hit over .300 while playing more than 23 games. She had two home runs and 13 RBIs, and struck out only seven times.
She also is repeating her pattern of heating up with the weather. Martinez hit safely in 28 of her last 37 games, posting a .322 average. Last year, she hit .420 in her last 20 games.
"As the season goes on, I start to get used to the pitching, and playing two games a day," Martinez said. "At the beginning I start really slow. I can't really explain it."
Because of her sore shoulder, Martinez has played mostly in right field since the middle of the season. It's just an example of her unselfish attitude, 49ers coach Pete Manarino said.
"She's very dedicated. She'll do anything to help the team win," Manarino said.
Manarino said Martinez's success as a hitter comes from "being able to hit to all fields. She's just a natural hitter."
But there was also a lot of work involved. Martinez's father built a batting cage in their backyard, and she practiced daily.
She also had instruction, from her brother, Beto, who was once drafted by the New York Yankees.