February 23, 1995
Like many collegiate baseball players, Southern California College's Ila Borders dreams of playing in the big leagues. But unlike other players, she is a woman.
Borders, the first woman to pitch for a men's collegiate baseball team, was defeated by SF State 7-4 last Friday in her first start ever in the Bay Area.
The sophomore southpaw Borders threw six innings giving up 13 hits and seven earned runs.
"I went out there and I didn't have a good day," Borders said. Her record fell to 0-2.
Borders' goal is to someday pitch in the major leagues or in Japan.
"I am constantly having to prove myself day by day," Borders said. "I'm just trying to keep focused on my goal to go on to something higher than this."
SCC coach Charlie Phillips thinks Borders will attain her goal.
"She is strong-willed and she knows what she wants," he said.
Borders has been playing baseball since she was 10.
"My dad played for a minor league team," she said, "so I spent a lot of time at the ball park. My dad took me to a game at Dodger Stadium and I saw Dusty Baker hit one out. I heard the crowd roaring and I said, 'That's what I want to do.'"
Unlike most young female ball players, Borders chose playing baseball over softball.
"I love pitching but I can't throw underhand," Borders said. "I wanted to throw overhand."
Although Borders was welcomed at SF State with an overabundance of media, she was spared the routine heckling from opposing players and fans.
"It gets a little difficult at times," Borders said. "My teammates really support me."
Gators coach Mike Simpson "didn't say a word" to his players in regards to facing a woman on the mound.
Simpson was pleased that the Gators and their fans did not heckle Borders, but just let her pitch.
"We're in a no-win situation as an opponent," Simpson said. "We didn't want to make it a big event. I'm sure she just wants to be left alone and just go out there and play the game. She's very gutsy."
Borders said she understands that hitters going against a female pitcher "have something to lose, too."
Phil Kernan (.485), who went 2-for-4 with one RBI on the day, said, "Once (the ball) is released it doesn't matter who threw it. But in the back of my head, I knew the other guys might say something.
She did a good job -- she kept me off balance."
In six innings, Borders threw 109 pitches -- 40 fast balls, 24 off-speed pitches and 24 curve balls.
"She knows how to pitch," SCC coach Phillips said. "She's a great kid with strong Christian faith."
Borders pitched the first game of her college career last season against NCAA Division III team Claremont-Mudd College on Feb. 15. She went the distance and won 12-1.
Last year, Borders ended her freshman year with a 2-4 record and a 2.92 ERA. She held her opponents to a .244 batting average.
Borders patterned her style from Angels pitcher Chuck Finley.
"I watched Chuck Finley pitch and tried to imitate him," Borders said. "But recently I've changed styles and lowered my leg kick. I'm a finesse pitcher and I'm trying to establish the outside corner."
Borders admits it's tough being the only female pitcher in a male dominated sport and has some advice for other women who want to play ball.
"You have to have tough skin," she said. "They're going to be saying things to you -- they're going to heckle you."
Although the Gators tried to mentally block out the fact that they were hitting against a female pitcher, Coach Simpson said he could feel the tension in the dugout diminish when Borders was pulled.
"She generates a lot of enthusiasm for the game," Gators coach Simpson said. "She's carrying the flag for everyone -- she has a tremendous weight on her shoulders."