Mendoker verbally commits to East Carolina
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Emma Mendoker kept visiting colleges but was not satisfied with what she saw. That is until the Amherst Regional senior stepped foot in Greenville, N.C., and toured East Carolina University in early May.
"I felt that click and I was waiting for that click for a long time," Mendoker said. "I would visit a campus and I was like 'Nope, not it.' "
Mendoker put her feelings into words Monday when she called Pirates softball head coach Tracey Kee and verbally committed for the 2011-12 academic year.
East Carolina is a Division 1 program that competes in Conference USA. The Pirates finished the season 44-18 and lost to Brigham Young in the NCAA Austin Regional. East Carolina won the Conference USA regular season and tournament championship for the first time this year.
"They built a brand new stadium and it's a nice stadium," Mendoker said. "The atmosphere. The campus. Everything about East Carolina I love. The people are friendly."
Many Division 1 programs contacted Mendoker, including the University of Massachusetts and Penn State. Mendoker also visited Notre Dame, South Florida, Florida and North Carolina.
"It's easy to get caught up with the name and East Carolina is really good but it doesn't have that wow factor," Amherst coach Kacey Schmitt said. "But it's all about what's going to work for you."
Mendoker finished her junior year 23-1 as Amherst Regional won the Western Massachusetts Division 1 championship before losing to Milford in the state semifinals.
Mendoker, who pitched six no-hitters, struck out 312, allowed 44 hits, 22 walks and had a 0.21 earned run average in 165 innings. Mendoker has 702 career strikeouts.
East Carolina "had everything she was looking for," said Ann Mendoker, Emma's mother. "When they made an offer we didn't have to think too long."
Mendoker felt comfortable with the ECU coaching staff, including associate head coach Natalie Kozlowski, who earned her master's degree from UMass in 1995. Kozlowski also coached varsity softball and junior varsity basketball at Smith Academy that year.
"When we were talking about Amherst she'd be like 'I remember that,'" Mendoker said. "She loved Atkins (Farms). She knew what we were talking about. It was nice to have that familiar background."
Mendoker, who plans to officially sign in November, will have an opportunity to play right away. Toni Paisley, the team's ace and Conference USA pitcher of the year, is a junior.
"I'm really excited about it," Mendoker said. "I'm ready for the challenge. It will be hard work, but I think I'm ready."
ZIOMEK TO HEAD SOUTH - Kevin Ziomek will make his final start in western Massachusetts tonight when the Amherst American Legion baseball team plays Chicopee-Aldenville at Szot Park at 7:30 p.m.
Ziomek is enrolled in summer school at Vanderbilt University in Nasville, Tenn. Classes begin July 13. "It's been exciting with the state championship run and it was a great way to end senior year," Ziomek said of pitching Amherst regional to the Division 1 state title in June.
"It's time to move on and I'm excited to get down there."
Ziomek has not yet ruled out Major League Baseball. Arizona, which drafted the lefty in the 13th round of the June draft, has until Aug. 16 to sign him.
"I'm pretty set on going to school," Ziomek said. "We haven't had too much contact with the Diamondbacks. We're still waiting to see what will happen with them."
Mike Moran can be reached at mmoran@gazettenet.com.
