Softball diamonds lead to wedding bells

Wednesday, April 24, 1996

1995 marriage helps Mike-Mitchell get into the swing of thingsBy
Brent Boyd

Daily Bruin Contributor

Rarely has a trip to the batting cages been so productive.
Little did Ginny Mike-Mitchell know when she entered the batting
cages in her hometown of Camarillo during her junior year in high
school that her entire life was about to change.

At this point in time, her name was solely Ginny Mike, but
things were destined to change when she first laid eyes on the
batting cage attendant, Mike Mitchell. Mike, a star baseball player
from a rival school, helped Ginny adjust her swing slightly, and
ever since then, the couple has been a perfect match for each
other.

They became high school sweethearts and eventually both ended up
at UCLA, with Mike crushing the ball at Jackie Robinson for the
Bruin baseball team, while Ginny was just across the 405 freeway at
Easton Stadium helping to lead the softball Bruins to the College
World Series.

However, it was not planned that the couple would become fellow
Bruins. After Mike had decided to attend UCLA, Ginny chose to
attend UC Santa Barbara the following year. But then destiny took
over. The coaches at UCSB left after her freshman season, and the
program looked as if it were falling apart ­ so Ginny began to
look for options.

The first place she thought of was where her heart was, right
down the coast with her boyfriend. The next season she transferred
to UCLA, and the two became inseparable. They were only playing for
UCLA at the same time for one season, 1994.

This was a magical year for the both of them, as Ginny began her
Bruin career by being chosen to the College World Series
All-Tournament team, hitting .500 as a designated player and
leading the Bruins to a fourth-place national finish.

Meanwhile, Mike led the baseball team with 12 home runs while
maintaining a .339 batting average. He concluded his three-year
career at UCLA by being picked in the ninth round of the Major
League Baseball draft by the New York Yankees after his junior
season.

Being sent to the Yankees’ A club in Tampa, Fla. meant that the
couple would be a continent apart for the entire baseball season.
But they did not let this sour their relationship. In fact, after
the conclusion of the school year, Mike-Mitchell would travel
cross-country in order to spend the summer months with Mike during
his trials in the minor leagues.

"It is quite a fun lifestyle for a little while," says
Mike-Mitchell of the constant travel in the minors.

In fact, she is planning on doing it again this June. But this
time around things will be different ­ the two will be husband
and wife.

They were married in November of 1995, finalizing their
relationship. And the game that brought them together also keeps
their relationship strong, as they are there for each other when
one of them is struggling on the diamond.

"It’s great to have the game in common," Mike-Mitchell says.
"When he has a bad day, I know what he is going through and can I
help him out a lot, and vice versa."

In fact, Mike-Mitchell gives a lot of the credit for her success
to her husband.

"He has really helped me a lot with my swing," said the senior
left fielder. "He helped me adjust my swing and hit the long
ball."

As a result, her slugging percentage has risen from .280 in her
sophomore season to .509 this year.

However, judging from her 5-foot-4-inch frame, one would not
expect her to hit with much power. In fact, that was the initial
thought that came into the mind of co-head coach Sue Enquist, when
she first met the transfer in her office over two years ago.

After receiving a phone call from Mike-Mitchell requesting a
transfer and talking to the coaches from UCSB, the Bruins decided
to give her the chance to come to Westwood.

"The first time I saw her, I thought ‘Oh no, we’d been done
in,’" remembers Enquist.

But soon afterwards, Enquist realized the Gauchos were the big
losers in Mike-Mitchell’s decision. During the first practice of
her Bruin career, she provided a moment that nobody could forget.
She stung the ball every time she took a swing, even connecting on
a few that reached the fence.

From that point on, it was a match made in heaven.

"Every time I look at her, I am so thankful," said Enquist.
"Never does a day go by that I don’t realize how lucky we were in
that we never would have had her if she had not contacted us."

However, in her first season as a Bruin she saw a dramatic drop
in playing time, getting only 107 at-bats and, in the process, saw
her average fall to .252. The following year, she began to improve,
hitting at a .300 clip but only starting in 18 games.

"Coming to UCLA, I knew that I had to prepare myself to
sacrifice some playing time," Mike-Mitchell said. "But the whole
experience has certainly been worth it."

After the Gauchos were eliminated in her freshman season, she
set out on a road trip to take in the 1993 College World Series in
Oklahoma City. Here she saw her eventual teammates lose in the
championship game to Arizona.

"At that point I’d never have thought that I would actually have
the chance to play there," Mike-Mitchell said. "It is the highest
level you can go in softball."

Little did she know that in the following two seasons she would
realize her dreams by participating in the series twice and winning
the national championship a year ago.

Although performing well in both championships, her full
potential was not realized until this season. Thus far into the
season, playing every day, she leads the club with a .445 batting
average, good for third in the conference. She also leads the club
with eight stolen bases and remains fourth in slugging
percentage.

"Now that I’m starting, I am feeling more relaxed and feel less
pressure," Mike-Mitchell said. "It was hard for me to get in the
groove while not playing all the time."

Enquist agrees with Mike-Mitchell’s feelings. "When she came in,
the opportunities just weren’t there for her," she said. "I believe
that if given the opportunity two years ago, she’d be just as
good."

Although increased playing time may have had a lot to do with
Mike-Mitchell’s success, so too did her marriage.

"It’s a lot easier now," Mike-Mitchell said. "There is less to
worry about, and time is just flying by now."

"I was a little scared when she got married in the fall ­
wondering if her priorities would change," Enquist said. "But my
fears were unrealized, as the fire has stayed in her, and her
intensity has stayed the same."

Although her softball career will end at the conclusion of the
season, the fire will remain for Mike-Mitchell, just in a different
field. She will continue to attend classes at UCLA with the hope of
landing a job in environmental protection and will also continue to
support her husband’s dreams of becoming a major leaguer.

PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin

Ginny Mike-Mitchell is finishing up her softball career at
UCLA.