IUP Athletic Hall of Fame
If IUP was playing a softball game between 1986 and 1988, it was almost certain that Beth Blaisdell would be in the circle.
The graduate of North Hills High School appeared in 85 games and started 79 times during her three years as IUP's primary pitcher. She still ranks fourth in school history in most games pitched and started despite the fact that the team played far fewer games in that era than in later years.
Blaisdell won 43 games, tied for the third most ever at IUP, and holds the lowest career earned run average at 1.29, surrendering a mere 96 earned runs in 519 innings. Her 18 shutouts place her third in the IUP record book, and she is fourth in strikeouts with 257 and complete games with 64.
As a testament to her dominance, Blaisdell holds three of the five lowest single-season ERA figures in IUP history, including a sterling 0.80 mark in 1986 when opponents reached her for only 15 earned runs in 131 innings of work.
Most of Blaisdell's records held up until the late 1990s when IUP began a long run of success on the softball field.
Blaisdell received her bachelor's degree in 1988 and is currently the senior vice president of product and marketing for Elavon Merchant Services.
