Marisa Ibarra has so many victories, she’s the winningest
pitcher in Tri-County Athletic League history, and fourth all-time
in California state history. She reached the historic 100-victory
mark this season before she will be heading on to San Francisco
State next year. Free Lance Sports Editor Andrew Matheson has the
story.
Marisa Ibarra has so many wins, we all lost count.
“I really didn’t know,” said Ibarra, the Lady ‘Balers’ senior ace who recently recorded her 100th career victory at San Benito High School.
When you approach triple digits, though, it becomes terribly easy to misplace a win here, lose track of another win there. Ibarra thought that after she threw a three-hit shutout of Salinas on April 23 – a 5-0 Lady ‘Baler victory – that she earned win No. 98, and would still need two more wins to reach the rare century mark in high school victories.
“I never knew for sure,” she said. “I think I probably would have thought about it too much anyway. It would have been in the back of my mind during the game, and that wouldn’t have helped.”
Father and San Benito coach Leo Ibarra knew she was nearing the 100-win mark, but wasn’t sure where she was exactly. Even I going for the big 1-0-0 today against Notre Dame, which was dead wrong.
But when San Benito manager Scott Smith and coach Mike Maheu pulled out each and every score sheet from the past four years that weekend following the win over Salinas, revealing the previous win over the Cowboys to be Ibarra’s 100th, the SF State-bound hurler was pleased, but had no idea how much of an accomplishment it actually was.
“It was like, ‘Oh cool, 100,'” Ibarra said. “I didn’t realize it was so big. I didn’t realize it was so uncommon.”
Instead of just being a nice round number, one that’s easy to remember when telling the grandkids someday, Ibarra’s win total is turning out to be so much more.
Marisa Ibarra has so many wins, she’s the winningest pitcher in Tri-County Athletic League history, and fourth all-time in California state history, Smith said.
Fourth in the state? Not bad for a pitcher who didn’t pick up a softball until the seventh grade.
“I think it’s pretty incredible,” Smith said. “A small town like Hollister gets a girl to come out for softball in the seventh grade and she winds up being fourth in the state of California in wins is pretty phenomenal.”
Indeed. Ibarra also boasts some other pretty ridiculous statistics, as you may have imagined. Her current overall record at SBHS is 103-10, which translates to a .912 winning percentage, while 72 of those victories have been shutouts. In the TCAL alone, Ibarra is 41-4.
Ten no-hitters. Four perfect games. Seven hundred and sixty-eight strikeouts.
In other words, she’s good. She’s really good, and she’s hands-down one of the best athletes to walk the halls at San Benito High.
“And she shares all the glory with her teammates,” Smith said. “She never blames her teammates for making an error. It’s amazing for how successful she is, how humble she is. It’s just refreshing.”
Speaking with Ibarra on Sunday night, the numbers haven’t sunk in quite yet, but she is fully aware of everything that was needed to reach 100 wins.
Not only does being the varsity starter for four straight healthy years help, but a team that plates enough runs on offense and makes enough plays on defense certainly goes a long way.
“I’m proud of the coaching and everybody that’s been a contributor to all of my success,” Ibarra said.
“It’s a good thing I’ve had the defense that I’ve had. We’ve always had a good team to get me there.”
Ibarra was initially a third baseman for the Hollister Heat when she was in seventh grade. Pitching didn’t come along until shortly thereafter, when a backyard session with her father Leo led to, well, bigger and better things.
“It’s hard to believe what she’s accomplished in high school,” the father said. “It’s something you read about. But to be involved within it is pretty amazing.
“It’s been pretty special …”
While Smith calls Ibarra one of the most coachable players he’s ever had, Ibarra’s record will go down as one of the most impressive in the area.
“In the State of California, a hotbed of softball, it’s truly amazing,” Smith said.
