Morgan State head softball coach Larry Hineline couldn’t help but joke when talking about pitcher Emily Raubuch, who recently finished up her final season with the Bears.
“I told her, ‘I wish we could have you for another four years,'” Hineline said. “Unfortunately, we can’t do that.”
Most teams prefer to use starting pitchers to get through games, but Morgan does things differently. Raubuch was one of the best pitchers in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in 2024, recording a 1.79 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 90.1 innings pitched. Twenty-eight of her 32 appearances came in relief.
“The thing about Morgan State, in my opinion, is that we have the best pitching staff in the conference and it’s not even close,” Raubuch said. “… I think I’ve evolved into this role. I would get my opportunities and capitalize on them. … The biggest thing with this season has been my communication with Coach. I think we worked really well together.”
Even for as good of a reliever as Raubuch was this season and has been during her four-year career at Morgan State, Hineline wanted no one else starting two of the biggest games of this season.
“She can just throw the ball where she needs to throw it and she’s just amazing to watch,” Hineline said. “… Emily never once complained, questioned her role. When we got to the conference championship game, I walked up to her and said, ‘You deserve this. Here’s the ball.'”
Raubuch started the winner-take-all MEAC tournament title game and less than a week later, was back in the circle for the Bears’ opening game in the NCAA Tournament against No. 10 Duke.
Struggles toward the end of her outing against the Blue Devils overshadowed an otherwise solid start, but against Coppin State, she was nearly unhittable. The Milan, Mich., native tossed a one-hit shutout to secure the program’s second-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament and second in the last four years.
“It was a big honor for me,” Raubuch said. “I’ve been with the program for four years and being able to end my senior year that way was just amazing. I’ve always been able to come in and help my team out, but being able to be a leader in that tournament was amazing.”
Since Raubuch arrived at Morgan State, all she has seen is winning, including four straight MEAC regular-season championships.
She has learned from some of the best pitchers in program history, including Melissa Paz, Victoria Fletcher and Anaya Hunte, and came into her own despite not being the most overpowering pitcher in the conference. Raubuch walked just four batters in 2024.
“One of the things that we always said about Emily is that she can pitch,” Hineline said. “… This year was her year. She’s always been good, but I think the confidence level with her this year was off the charts. … She’s like the Greg Maddux of softball. When I called pitches for her, it was a pleasure because I knew she could execute.”
Despite operating mostly in a relief role, Raubuch led all qualified pitchers on the team in ERA, WHIP, wins, saves, strikeouts and opponents’ batting average. Her 17:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranks among the best in the country, a testament to that Maddux-esque control in the circle.
Raubuch has a one-of-a-kind arsenal, highlighted by her screwball, a pitch rarely seen at the college level.
“Coming into college, I didn’t really rely on my screwball as much and I think Coach saw the potential that pitch had,” Raubuch said. “We worked on throwing it a lot and knowing I can rely on that as my main one and then use my other out pitches to mess with the hitter’s mind, it was super fun.”
Though her Morgan State career came to a close in May, she’ll still be around the program as a fan. She is excited for what’s to come for the Bears.
“I’m going to miss it a lot,” Raubuch said. “I already do. … Next year, I’m really excited to root from the stands. I think they’re going to have a great team. I think they’ll be just fine and I’ll be there to support them, too.”
Photo Credit: Sebastian Taylor
Originally published June 19, 2024