Carrera and George make a one-two punch

Utility players are hard to come by, but JMU has found two in resident jacks-of-all-trades Briana Carrera and Liz George.

Both players are pitchers and position players — junior Carrera starts at third base when not in the pitching circle, but senior Liz George is more at home in the outfield, patrolling center.

"Most players have their set position," sophomore shortstop Katie George said. "But there are a handful that are utility players."

George started all 62 of JMU’s games in 2004, 29 of which came inside the circle where she had success, boasting a team-best 1.85 ERA and 110 strikeouts. She also had a .346 batting average in 2004, which was the highest on the team, while driving in 23 runs and posting a .425 on-base percentage — also tops on the squad.

"I know what to look for," Liz George said. "I know what’s going to come and what to expect."

Her play was good enough to earn her an All-Colonial Athletic Association selection.

"I give coach [Sheryl] Shockley a lot of credit, and I give Liz’s work ethic a lot of credit," coach Katie Flynn said. "You have a walk-on kid who pitched just a little bit as a freshman, who in her sophomore and junior year has just blossomed tremendously into a Player-of-the-Year-type candidate."

Carrera is no slouch on the diamond herself.

Despite enduring an injury, Carrera bounced back to start 40 games last season — 19 of those she started in the pitching circle, where she had a 1.92 ERA and 126 strikeouts. Carrera also batted .271 and tied for the team-lead in triples with four.

"Briana is a player with a lot of heart and she’s very competitive," Katie George said. "I think seeing the way she plays and the intensity that she brings to the game rubs off on everyone."

A game that didn’t start in the jack-of-all-trades role, as neither player started their college careers in the circle. George started out as an outfielder, while Carrera was recruited at the last minute to play shortstop.

"We literally saw [Carrera] over the Fourth of July weekend before her freshman year," Flynn said. "We were able to bring her out here in early August, and she turned around and came back on campus about a week later."

The San Diego, Ca., native originally planned to walk-on at San Diego State.

"She might have gotten overlooked because of her size and her stature," Flynn said. "She’s not really a big girl, but she plays more like she’s 5’9" or 5’10" and has a confidence like she’s 5’9" or 5’10"."

Liz George said, "Briana is fearless. I think sometimes I can become intimidated more easily than she does. That’s what I admire about her."

Although Carrera is known for her intensity, she insists that she still has fun.

"I’m serious when it comes to playing, but you can’t be too serious all the time," Carrera said.

Carrera even admits to telling Liz George jokes in the circle to loosen her up.

With both players playing multiple positions and their status as two of four co-captains, the pressure can build.

"By pitching, you feel that the games sometimes rest on your shoulders," Liz George said.

Flynn, however, is quick to point out that softball is a team sport and each player has a hand in the victory or the loss.

"Our philosophy is that our pitchers are trying to keep us in the games," she said. "There are nine other people in the batting order that are responsible for winning the game. I’m not going to downplay the significance of their role, but I’m not going to put the success of the team on their shoulders. I don’t believe all that."

Coming off a 30-32 campaign last season, JMU was picked to come in second in the CAA in 2005, but the Dukes have their sights set slightly higher.

"It used to be about stepping stones because we were so young," Carrera said. "But now we want to win it all."