Mars' Glomb joins HOF
This is the third in a series of 10 articles profiling the 2017 inductees into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame.VALENCIA — To say Monica Glomb could “bring it” probably wouldn't be doing her justice.The 2007 Mars graduate and standout softball pitcher led the Planets to the 2006 WPIAL championship, struck out 745 batters and had a career high school earned run average of 0.96.Those exploits — along with her softball achievements at Kutztown University — are landing her in the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame.Glomb will be inducted during the Hall's 52nd annual banquet April 29 at the Butler Days Inn.“I really wasn't your typical athlete,” Glomb said. “I was pretty laid back. I was always just playing to have fun.“Maybe that's why I was successful. I never let the moment, whatever it was, bother me or get to me. I just loved playing ball.”In the 2006 WPIAL championship game, Glomb tossed a three-hitter and struck out 12 in defeating favored Ambridge, 2-1. Her record that season was 19-1.She tossed two perfect games and struck out a career-high 19 in a 14-inning game against Hampton.“I took private lessons when I was younger and felt pretty confident on the mound in high school,” Glomb said. “I felt like I should strike everybody out.“I'd get upset with myself when someone put the ball in play against me.”Glomb admitted she was hopeful of playing Division I softball in college, but “I was five feet tall and 115 pounds soaking wet in high school.” When Kutztown made her an offer, she grabbed it.“The Kutztown coach called me over after one of my high school games and asked me to throw a fastball so the coach could clock me,” Glomb said. “If it was fast enough, I'd get an offer ... They offered me.”Glomb wound up with 424 career collegiate strikeouts — second all-time at the school — and her 53 wins rank fourth. Glomb also had 16 career shutouts, third on the Golden Bears list.But it wasn't always easy for her at the college level.“It took me a while to realize I wasn't going to fire the ball past all of those hitters,” Glomb said. “For one, the college mound is 43 feet from home plate, compared to 40 in high school.“And these were hitters who made steady contact. After giving up home run after home run, I had to make some adjustments. I had to learn to induce ground outs and pop outs and be happy when I got them.”Glomb said the extra distance from the mound to the plate affected her breaking pitches.“Big time,” she said. “They didn't have the same affect and I didn't have the same control of those pitches. Eventually, you adapt.”Glomb had 130 strikeouts and a 2.02 earned run average in her final year at Kutztown.She now works as a recruiter for Allegheny Health System and said her softball playing days are behind her.“I miss it,” she said. “But with working and my social life, I don't have the time to pursue fast-pitch anymore ... and slow-pitch ball just never did it for me.”She has worked with young girls on the art of fast-pitch softball pitching and enjoyed giving back that way.“I'm grateful for the time I got to play — and for the memories,” Glomb said.Tickets for the April 29 HOF banquet are $35 in advance, $40 at the door. Ticket outlets include Parkers Appliance in Chicora, Bill's Beer Barn, Moses Jewelers and Snack-N-Pack in Butler, Saxonburg Drug and Maddalon Jewelers in Zelienople.
