Debbie Doom
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Debbie Doom (born 1963 in Las Vegas, Nevada) was a pitcher for, among others, UCLA and the United States' national softball team just prior to the major boom in the sport's popularity both in America and worldwide. She was the singularly most dominant pitcher in softball during her career; among her career highlights was pitching two consecutive perfect games at the 1991 Pan American Games, an unmatched feat. Doom was remarkable for her exceptional fastball and her unusual height (6'5").
[edit] College career
UCLA recruited Doom out of Tempe, Arizona, where she played high school ball. The decision would prove fruitful, as Doom's tenure at UCLA was laden with major accomplishments. Most notably, she was the winning pitcher in the inaugural NCAA women's softball championship game as a freshman, allowing only two hits in eight innings as her Bruins downed Fresno State 2-0 thanks to a throwing error and sacrifice fly in the 8th inning. She remains the only pitcher to win three NCAA softball championship games, doing so in 1982, 1984, and 1985. Doom is also the only pitcher to strike out 20 players in a single Women's College World Series game, fanning 20 Oklahoma State Cowgirls in 1982. Finally, she is one of only three pitchers (with UCLA's Lisa Fernandez and Cal State-Fullerton's Kathy Van Wyk) to pitch two no-hitters in the same World Series. Doom was named to the All-American team and the all-region team at the Women's College World Series (WCWS) every year from 1982-1985. Additionally, her record of 62 strikeouts in a single WCWS went unsurpassed until 2006, when Alicia Hollowell of Arizona struck out 64 en route to her team's championship.
Recognizing her dominance, the NCAA placed Doom on its All-Decade team in 1991 and its 25th Anniversary Division I women's softball all-star team in 2006. UCLA inducted Doom into its athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.
[edit] Professional career
In 1997 at age 34, Doom pitched for the Orlando Wahoos (now the Akron Racers) in Women's Pro Fastpitch (now National Pro Fastpitch). She led the league in earned run average (0.42) and opponents' batting average (.153) while also placing in the league's top five in four other pitching categories. She went 3-0 in the championship series against the Virginia Roadsters and was named series MVP.
