MENOMONIE — Anna Blanford has been a softball pitcher for roughly half her life. With her competitive days nearing the finish line, the UW-Stout senior is looking to end her career on a positive note.
“I am excited to play my last few games with my closest friends,” she said. “We are hoping to finish strong and we want to make it back to the conference tournament again.”
Blanford turned in one of her best performances of the season last week for the Blue Devils.
The 5-foot-8 right-hander improved her season record to 9-7 after pitching a shutout in a win at UW-River Falls last Wednesday.
Blanford struck out five batters in seven innings in Game 2 of a doubleheader.
Blanford grew up in Elmwood, Wisconsin and was an all-conference softball player in high school.
Her mother, Karen, was a record-setting pitcher for UW-Stout from 1992-96. She pitched a no-hitter for the Blue Devils during her career.
Anna Blanford wasn’t aware of her mother’s impressive feat until she was part of a combined no-hitter for UW-Stout earlier this season.
Anna struck out five batters in four innings of relief as the Blue Devils held Augsburg without a hit in a March 19 game in Clermont, Florida.
“My mom still holds a lot of records,” Anna said. “She got me involved in softball and taught me how to pitch. She leaves it up to the coaches now. She knows a lot about softball, but she just enjoys going to the games and she is very supportive.”
Anna Blanford has more than held her own in the circle during her collegiate career.
“I am very competitive,” she said. “I like the challenge of pitching and I have always really enjoyed it. I like the team atmosphere and having a good team behind me.”
Blanford is studying biology and has a 3.5 grade-point average. Following graduation from UW-Stout, she plans to study radiography at Chippewa Valley Technical College. She would learn how to perform X-rays and MRIs on patients.
Blanford has had time to reflect on her athletic and academic career at UW-Stout.
“It has been a great experience,” she said. “It’s been very competitive and I’ve enjoyed playing softball here. And I have really liked going to school here. I love my professors. They have been supportive and are really flexible with my schedule.”
Blanford is part of a Blue Devils team that has excellent camaraderie.
“Our team is really close,” she said. “We always have fun, no matter what. We are always together, on and off the field. It is very important to have that close bond with your teammates.”
