Hall of Fame
Sue Quigley Welch, of Newtown, Class of 1982, was a standout softball pitcher for Shippensburg from 1979 to 1982. She was the team’s Most Valuable Player in 1979 and 1980 and she helped the team finish second in the nation her senior year in 1982.
A native of West Chester and a 1978 graduate of West Chester East High School, Welch came to Shippensburg in the fall of 1978. She was the top pitcher on the team in the spring of 1979, compiling a 4-3 record and a 1.79 earned run average. Though only a freshman she was team MVP as the Lady Raiders finished the year with an 8-5 record.
The following season Welch led Shippensburg to its first appearance in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament. The Lady Raiders had an 11-5 overall record and Welch led the team with an 8-0 record during the regular season and an 8-1 mark overall. She had a 1.66 earned run average. Welch was named MVP of the team again.
Shippensburg again qualified for the PSAC tournament in 1981. Welch had a 6-2 record wih a 1.42 earned run average. Then in 1982 Shippensburg had one of its most exciting seasons and Welch played a crucial role in the team’s success. The Lady Raiders finished the year with a 26-7 overall record and placed second in the the PSAC tournament and second in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national tournament. Welch had a record of 7-4 with a 1.62 earned run average.
For her career Welch pitched in 36 games. She had 247 1/3 inningss pitched and hurled six shutouts while finishing with a 25-10 overall won-loss record. She had 113 strikeouts and her 3.20 strikeouts per seven innings.
At the time of her graduation, her 25 wins were the second highest career total in team history. Her .714 winning and her 1.61 career earned run average are also among the best marks in team history.
Since graduation Welch worked as a marketing staff assistant for Sears World Trade from 1983 to 1986 and as a claims representative for Allstate Insurance Company in 1987. She then became a homemaker and community activist. She partcipated in the local fund drive of the America Cancer Society and became a board member and corresponding secretary with the Neighborhood Outreach Foundation.
Welch remained active in sports as a member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). She played tennis for the Bucks County Blast, a team that won the Philadelphia District USTA 4.0 Women’s Division championship on July 22. In 1999 she competed with Northampton One and her team won the USTA 3.0 Philadelphia District title and then advanced to win the Middle States Section championship. Welch and her teammates then competed at the national championships.
