In the Dugout with Kelley Montalvo
4/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 23, 2009
Standing at 4-11, Alabama third baseman Kelley Montalvo may not fit the profile of your everyday Division I college athlete, but when she takes the field all doubts are quickly dismissed. Whether Montalvo is in the batter's box or turning would-be base hits into routine outs, it is easy to see that she possesses an unmatched knack for the game.
When the Crimson Tide is on defense, Montalvo takes a personal responsibility to ensure that any ball hit in her direction is quickly made an out. If she happens to fail in that regard, like any true competitor she wants the chance to prove herself on the very next play.
"They always say that hitting is a game of failure, so you're going to fail regardless," Montalvo said. "But defense, to me, has to be consistent. When I'm out there I want every ball to come to me. I promise you that is all I think about. When I make an error I want the next one to come. Making the play and hearing the crowd and everybody else just makes me want the ball even more."
Illustrating just how important Montalvo is to the Tide's defense, head coach Patrick Murphy says that he could "look around and realistically say that Kelley Montalvo is the best third baseman we've ever had," and between her and shortstop Kellie Eubanks, "the two on the left side refuse to let a ball through."
It is apparent that Montalvo has evolved into a consistent defender, highlighted by her selection to the SEC All-Defensive team after allowing only three errors in 175 chances in 2008, but consistency on one side of the ball alone is not enough to be distinguished by Louisville Slugger/NFCA and Easton as a first-team All-American.
To garner honors such as those one must produce at the plate as well, and if hitting is a game of failure, then she has obviously figured out a way to minimize that failure. With a strike zone that is tough for even the nation's best pitchers to hit, Montalvo knows how get on base. And once she is on base, she usually makes it home.
"This year, one main thing I've been working on is on-base percentage," Montalvo said of her personal goals. "I want that to stay consistent, if not get it higher. I want to have the most walks in the nation and for people to say, `that girl always gets on base and we can't keep her off.'"
With an on-base percentage of .579 that is the best in the Southeastern Conference, plenty of opposing coaches and players have been saying just that. Further symbolizing the ability to get on base are her 44 walks that check in at third in the nation, and with only eight strikeouts, a plate appearance for Montalvo almost guarantees a trip to first base.
Having such prowess for either drawing a walk, getting a hit or even being hit (Montalvo is second in the SEC in hit by pitch) she knows that Murphy can rely on her to produce at the plate from any spot in the lineup.
"I feel like Coach Murphy has a lot of faith in me to be versatile and do my best at each spot, because each spot is different," Montalvo said. "To lead off you have to get on base and see a lot of pitches, at cleanup you have to bring the runs in and in the nine hole you have to get on base. There are so many different things. I feel like he can trust in me to do that."
As a senior in her last year on Alabama's squad, Montalvo is proud to have been given the opportunity to play for a program that she has grown to love. Although Tuscaloosa is far away from her hometown of Miami, Fla. she feels blessed to be a part of Alabama softball.
"Being 18 years old and making the decision of a lifetime, it is probably the hardest and best decision I've ever made," Montalvo said of her time at the Capstone. "I just feel blessed and feel like it's an honor for Coach Murphy to actually pick me. It's an honor for him to actually see a 4-11 girl and say, `look I think she can do something,' and give me a chance to prove to him. I fell like that's what I have been trying to do my four years and hopefully he is proud of me."
