Senior Reflection: Alyssa Landrith
Apr 30 | Softball
SENIOR PROFILE: Alyssa Landrith
As the regular season draws to a close, Rutgers softball reflects on the 2015 senior class. Since arriving "On the Banks," senior Alyssa Landrith (Vacaville, Calif.) began to leave her mark on the program in the most concrete way possible - etching her name throughout the Rutgers' record books
Landrith made an immediate impact for RU, registering an 18-victory season in her freshman campaign, a total that ranks second on the Rutgers' single-season wins list. The left-hander posted the most games started and most games played amongst the pitching staff that year.
Her rookie outing was highlighted by a pair of perfect games, marking the first flawless performances since 2000. Capping off a spectacular season, Landrith was named the 2012 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, in addition the All-Conference accolades and Rutgers Team MVP.
The lefty went on to record back-to-back 17 win seasons in 2013 and 2014. Pitching a total of 19 games in 2013, Landrith finished her sophomore year a top the single-season list for strikeouts (192) and second for most saves (3).
In 2014, the California native registered a 2.45 ERA while acing the RU staff with 31 appearances, 26 starts, 20 complete games and 186 strikeouts in 177.0 innings pitched. Most notable, Landrith guided the Scarlet Knights to a 5-1 victory over Houston to advance to the semifinals of the 2014 American Athletic Conference tournament, marking the first postseason win for the program since 1998. She allowed only two hits and one earned run in seven innings of work.
By her junior season, Landrith had become the fourth pitcher in school history to reach 50 wins and ended the year ranked second in career strikeouts (489), but she was still vying for more. On April 21, 2015 against Maryland, Landrith eclipsed the most telling record of them all, becoming the winningest pitcher in program history with her 66th career victory. Earlier in the year, the left-hander claimed the all-time strikeout record and now has 620 K's in the books. Landrith was also the arm behind RU's first ever Big Ten victory, an 11-5 win at Indiana.
With two shutouts this year, Landrith brought her career total to 23, ranking third in the career record books. Additionally, her two saves in 2015 have pushed her career mark to seven to give her sole possession of the second-place spot.
As she closes her career as a Scarlet Knight, Landrith will forever be remembered amongst the best pitchers to grace the circle for RU. With Senior Day and graduation looming, Landrith reflected back on the highlights of her time as a Scarlet Knight.
SENIOR REFLECTION:
Q: What has been your best memory across the past four years?
A: "My favorite memory is when we beat Houston on their home field in the AAC Tournament. We advanced to the semifinals and got the chance to play on ESPN."
Q: What will you miss the most after you graduate?
A: "When I graduate, I will miss every day that I got to spend with my teammates. I will also miss pizza here on the east coast."
Q: What are your future plans?
A: "I will be moving back to California after this year. I will be starting my job with Thyssenkrupp Elevator as an Account Representative in San Francisco beginning in June."
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
A: "Thank you to my family for their endless support. Thank you to all of the Rutgers softball staff, my teammates and friends that I have met in the last four years that have made my experience here so great. Everyone along the way has helped shape me into a person that I am proud of. I will treasure all of the memories I have made."
SENIOR DAY
Join Rutgers softball in honoring all three seniors on Saturday, May 2nd at the RU Softball Complex. Prior to the first pitch against Wisconsin at 1 p.m., RU will conduct a pre-game ceremony to recognize the 2015 class.
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