ISN'T THIS STORY TWO WEEKS EARLY?:

He came across Georgina Corrick by accident. University of South Florida and Team USA softball coach Ken Eriksen was attending an 18-and-under game to scout another player but was shocked by the 5-foot-11 hurler absolutely dominating batters.

"This [kid] on the mound was doing things and I thought, 'That's pretty special. I wonder where she's going next year?'" Eriksen told me.

So, he sidled up to the coach and asked, pointing to the mound.

"You talking about George?" the coach asked. "Yeah, she's 13, 14. She's just gonna be a freshman in high school."

Eriksen couldn't believe it. Far from entering college, Corrick had never even stepped foot in a high school classroom.

There was only one name that came to mind when he saw her:

"To me, it was like I just found Sidd Finch."

The numbers were always good. Corrick, who graduated with a degree in marine biology and conservation science but was granted a fifth year of eligibility because of Covid, entered this year with a career 1.24 ERA and 884 strikeouts in just 711 1/3 innings pitched. She had thrown six no-hitters and racked up accolades, from being a 16-time conference pitcher of the week to an academic All-American.

This year, she's found another level. If you thought what Jacob deGrom was doing before he got hurt last year was special, Corrick has him beat.

Through 20 appearances entering Wednesday's action, Corrick has thrown 111 innings, striking out 169 batters and allowing only 35 hits. She threw an 11-inning, 19-strikeout shutout and a few weeks later followed that with the first perfect game of her career and just the fourth in USF history. Seven batters have drawn a walk against her and, perhaps even more astonishing, she's allowed one -- just one -- run in all that time, giving her a sparkling ERA of 0.06. She's now closing in on Danielle Henderson's 105 consecutive scoreless innings streak.

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