Even when a college coach is fortunate enough to have a couple of outstanding pitchers, there is seldom a doubt that one of those pitchers will be considered the ace. Faced with a must-win game, the coach knows who is going to get the start.

Well, that's how it works most of the time.

Chipola College (48-3), ranked second in the nation by the NJCAA under head coach Belinda Hendrix, boasts two starting pitchers so good and so close in talent that neither is considered the Mariana, FL, team's ace.

"We got two of them, and I can't call either our ace they are definitely co-aces," Hendrix said of talented freshmen Morgan Goree and Krystal Goodman. "The decision on who starts is based solely on the opposition. I just try to look at the type of hitters the other team has and then decide which one matches up best."

That philosophy seems to be working just fine as both pitchers have compiled mind-boggling numbers in their first season with the Indians.

In fact, the two have combined for an overall record of 43-0 with 327 strikeouts and a combined earned run average of 0.60. Both Goree and Goodman are among the national leaders in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average.



At 6-foot-1, Goodman is a hard-throwing right-hander from Long Beach, MS. She relies on four pitches -- fastball, curve, change, and riser. She is currently 21-0 on the season and has a 0.68 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 133 innings. She has tossed eight shutouts this season.

"Krystal can be dominant at times," Hendrix said. "She has hit 70 (mph) on the gun and can average 66-68 for most of the game. Her strengths are that she throws really hard and always seems to be pounding the strike zone."

Not to be outdone, Goree has almost identical numbers to Goodman.

A native of Senoia, GA, Goree is 22-0 this season with 155 strikeouts and a 0.54 ERA in 133 innings. Morgan has fired seven shutouts this season.

"Morgan's more of an artist than a dominator," Hendrix said. "She spins the ball really well and relies on location. Her biggest strength is that she really knows how to pitch. Instinctively, she knows what pitch to throw and what speed to throw it all depending on the situation."

Although both players have gone undefeated, Hendrix says both freshmen know they can improve.

"Every once in a while Krystal will leave her fastball right over the middle of the plate," Hendrix said. "Morgan sometimes loses her focus and gets behind on the count. But both have performed way above expectations, and we are fortunate to have two aces."

The performance of Goodman and Goree is already drawing the attention of recruiters from around the country. And while both will have options, Hendrix feels good that both will return to Chipola for their sophomore seasons.

"They have drawn interest from four-years schools all over the country," she said. "Both will have a lot of options, but both have said they want to return for their sophomore seasons."

Chipola has been a young team dominated by freshmen. In addition to Goodman and Goree, seven of the other eight position starters are also first-year players.

"Our record really has surprised me this year," Hendrix said. "We lost so many players off of last year's outstanding team, and frankly I had no idea what we really had coming in. A lot of our players were either lightly recruited or not recruited at all, but all them wanted to be here. They all had the attitude that 'We want to work, and we want to get better,' and that's the type of player I want here."

Hendrix said a tough fall schedule played a huge role in the success Chipola is experiencing this spring.

"We threw them to the wolves in the fall," Hendrix said. "We played games against Florida State and Florida (both ranked in the top three in Division I polls) and also played Mississippi State, LSU, Troy State, and Jacksonville. What I think that did was create a chemistry on this team. They just work so hard to get better every day."

Despite her team's gaudy record, Hendrix knows it's no guarantee for her team to return to nationals. Chipola will play in the NJCAA Region 8 Tournament in May, which also serves as the Florida Junior College State Tournament. There the Indians will face possible matchups with Seminole, Central Florida, Florida Southwest, Florida Northwest, Daytona, and Indian River -- all of which are ranked with Chipola in the latest national top 20 poll.

Only the top two teams in the 16-team, double-elimination tournament advance to the national championship tournament.

"Our state tournament is as good as some of the national invitations we play in," Hendrix said. "We have so many good teams in it. It's a great test and all the coaches know that if you can survive the Region 8 Tournament you have a chance to compete for a national crown."

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