USA Softball Region 9

She didn’t know it at the time, but when Nancy Welborn opted to stay in Eugene, OR and finish her final year of high school instead of going with her parents to Montana, it turned out to be one of the most important decisions of her career. By staying in Eugene, Jack Moore, manager of McCulloch Chain Saws, was able to work with Nancy, who was then pitching a figure-eight. Because of her height (5-11) and coordination, Moore thought Nancy would be better as a windmill pitcher. As history has documented, Moore’s assessment was correct because Welborn developed into an outstanding pitcher. Between that time, however, a lot of work was done as they worked three times a week on speed, then control. Wild at first, Nancy eventually developed, beating Yakima 1-0 in 20 innings in the regional finals and earning a berth in the national tourney in 1965. In 1966, the Chain Saws beat Yakima twice in the regional finals to earn another berth in the national playoffs. This time the Chain Saws finished fifth in the nationals and Welborn was again named an All-American. The 1965 national champs, Orange, CA Lionettes, were in need of pitching and asked Nancy to join the team. She originally declined, but had a change of heart in 1968. It was a decision neither Welborn nor the Lionettes would regret. From 1969-1975, Welborn recorded 306 wins and 68 losses with 27 no-hitters and 46 one-hitters. She was a first-team All-American in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, winner of the MVP award and the Bertha Tickey Award in 1970 and winner of the Tickey Award also in 1969, 1971 and 1972. Welborn hurled the Lionettes to national titles in 1969 and 1970, and in 1970 they earned a berth in the ISF World Championship in Osaka, Japan and finished second behind Japan. Welborn set ISF records for wins (six) and innings pitched (50). In eight nationals, she compiled a 34-11 record with an ERA of 0.39, striking out 288 batters in 338 innings, allowing 169 hits and walking 37. Although not a high average hitter, Welborn was runner-up in RBIs for the Lionettes in 1971, and in 1973 led the team in assists. In seven years with the Lionettes she made only 51 errors in 411 games for a .945 fielding percentage. At the regional level, she had a 10-2 win-loss record with an ERA of 0.21 in 98 innings. Welborn was inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1982.