Editor’s Note: UA softball junior pitcher Taryne Mowatt tossed a no-hitter Friday against Texas Tech and allowed just one hit Sunday in a complete game, striking out 11 to help the Wildcats beat the Red Raiders again and win the Worth Wildcat Invitational.
The Wildcat caught up with Mowatt to discuss her no-hitter, play a little word association and talk about her dream guest list for a dinner party.
Wildcat: What are your thoughts on your third career no-hitter?
Taryne Mowatt: I am pretty proud of myself only because I pitched a smarter game than I have recently, and I thought that, out of my three no-hitters, that was the hardest one to get because it was (against) a very good, aggressive team, so I had to be a little bit smarter with them.
W: When did you realize you had a no-hitter going?
M: I knew it the whole time, but I tried to not tell myself anything in my head because I didn’t want to jinx it.
W: You pinch-hit on occasion, on off-days. How good a hitter would you be if you didn’t pitch?
M: Um, I don’t know, and I guess we’ll never know because I’ve always been a pitcher. I mean, I hit at the World Series and I just hit then, so… (Mowatt led the Wildcats with a .389 batting average at the Women’s College World Series and was named to the All-WCWS Team.)
W: How often do you get recognized on campus?
M: Not very often. The only time I ever get recognized is just as a softball player, because I wear softball clothes to school every day (laughs).
W: What’s the best part about being an Arizona softball player?
M: The fans, and the free clothes and stuff like that.
W: What’s your favorite sport other than softball?
M: Baseball.
W: Big difference.
M: (Laughs) Because the boys look sexy in their uniforms.
W: Can I include that?
M: Well, I have a boyfriend on the team (laughs), so one particular boy looks sexy in his uniform.
W: All right, now let’s play a little word association.
M: OK.
W: Mike Candrea after a loss.
M: Disappointed and upset.
W: Oklahoma City (location of the World Series).
M: Winning.
W: Texas A&M.
M: Revenge.
W: Harry Potter.
M: Ooh … absolutely amazing (laughs).
W: That works. All right, last couple ones. What is your dream vacation?
M: To go to the beach somewhere where the water is really clear and have a week of doing just nothing but laying out and going to sleep and hanging out with my friends or whoever’s with me. And going out at night.
W: All right, last two. What super power do you wish you had?
M: I wish I could stop time. That way when I’m really tired I could stop time and take a nap, or get my homework done.
W: I’ve never thought about that, that’s good. All right, last one. If you were having a dinner party and you could invite any three people, real or fictional, who would they be and why?
M: Um … Britney Spears back in like 2002, so the old Britney Spears. Um … This is a good question, I feel like I’m put on the spot. Let’s go with … Paul Walker, I like him. We have the same birthday and he’s hot, and … Harry Potter.
– Interview by Cameron Jones
