A CDO reunion in far-flung IllinoisΒ
You can make a strong case that CDOβs 2011 softball team (35-1) is the best in Arizona history.
The club was led by senior shortstop-pitcherΒ Mattie Fowler, who hit. 569 and had a remarkable state-record 91 RBIs. She also was 14-0 as a pitcher with an 0.85 ERA. She was the Arizona Player of the Year.
Her catcher was freshmanΒ Sammy Nettling, who hit .440 with 40 RBIs.
On Friday in Evanston, Illinois, Fowler and Nettling were opponents; Fowler is a .336-hitting first baseman for Nebraska. Nettling is a .279-hitting catcher for Northwestern. Nettlingβs father,Β Bill Nettling, a former starting tight end at Arizona, was at Fridayβs game. So was Fowlerβs mother, CDO coachΒ Kelly Fowler, whose current Dorados softball team is 24-1.
The path to this weekend softball reunion between the Nettlings and Fowlers has been both bitter and sweet.
Mattie, a fifth-year senior, has undergone two major knee surgeries, earned a finance degree, is working on an MBA and has been the Cornhuskersβ team captain an unprecedented four times: 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. April has been a good month for Fowler: The Huskers beat No. 1 Michigan, and she hit a walk-off single to beat Iowa 6-5.
Sammy, a sophomore, has also undergone two surgeries. The first, for a rib-resection, forced her to miss two months of her freshman season. Her second surgery, for torn thumb ligaments, kept her out of 12 games this season. A year ago she was an NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete.
The two ex-Dorados will play in a series finale Sunday and then go their separate ways, unless they meet in the Big Ten tournament next month at Penn State.
