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Sweet-swinging Bourman sets RBI standard
Utility player extraordinaire redefines the position at SCSU and drives her way into the school record book with hard work and persistence
 Media Credit: Michael Martin/Managing Editor Junior Abby Bourman fouls off a pitch during game one of Tuesday�s doubleheader against MSU, Mankato. She leads the NCC in batting average (.397) and set the school record for RBIs (43) in game two.
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The traditional role of a utility player is quite simple: fill the gaps in the defense and don't embarrass yourself at the plate.
It's safe to say those rules don't apply to SCSU junior Abby Bourman. Why exactly? Because this particular utility player has become one of the best hitters in the North Central Conference.
The Duluth native has been singlehandedly revolutionizing the utility role with her offensive barrage. Thanks to an unbelievable performance in Tuesday's home doubleheader against MSU, Mankato, where she drove in six runs with two three-run homers, Bourman surpassed the SCSU RBI record with her 43rd of the season. The record of 41 RBIs was previously shared by Kim Bass and Jody Brueske. She is now leading the NCC with a batting average of .397 and is leading the team with 48 hits, 13 doubles, 4 triples (second in the NCC), and a slugging percentage of .694, and is second on the team with five home runs.
What's most impressive about all these statistics is that she is not showing any signs of slowing down.
Bourman has owned the month of April, going 31-64 at the plate, driving in 29 runs and earning NCC Player of the Week honors two weeks in a row (April 9 and 16). Of the 20 games SCSU has played in April, she has failed to drive in a run in only four of them and has driven in a run in 11 of her last 12 games.
With all the hype focused on her hitting, Bourman's multi-talented defensive game has not gone without recognition.
"She is an outstanding athlete that is so versatile that she can play practically any position," said head coach Paula U'Ren. "She's exceptional on defense. She's got great feet and a strong arm, and she just has a good knowledge of the game."
Bourman has been thrown all around the field for the Huskies. Her freshman year she played both third base and left field. Her sophomore year, she played center field, covering for Cally Stewart, who tore her ACL. This season she started in left field, but was moved to catcher after the first 15 games of the season, when former catcher Melissa Wood was moved to designated hitter.
That's just enough moving to frustrate any ballplayer, but not Bourman.
"I don't really care as long as I'm out there playing," she said. "Wherever the coach tells me to go, I'll go."
That kind of unselfishness is what earned her the role of being a tri-captain this season. Along with junior co-captains McKayla Kroll and Wood, Bourman is leading the nationally ranked squad by example.
"I like to push myself and maybe if my teammates see that they'll push themselves 10 times harder, and that's what it takes to win games," she said. "Anyone can be a leader. They just have to step up into that role."
It would be an understatement to say Bourman has stepped up. She has made major strides over the last two seasons. She batted .241 with 34 hits and 12 doubles her freshman year. Last season she had a terrific sophomore campaign, batting .299 with 50 hits, 28 RBIs, and a team-leading eight home runs. Since last season Bourman has changed her swing and the improvements couldn't be more clear.
"She had a couple of mechanical errors in her swing," U'Ren said. "She spent a lot of time in the cages, and any type of player that works that hard, you just hope that it will work out in the end, and it's definitely done just that for her."
If Bourman stays on her path of hard work and improvement, come May, the Huskies may find everything working out in the end as well, complete with a shiny new piece of hardware.
Bobby Hart can be reached at: [email protected]
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