2008 Woodie Awards
Softball pushes win streak to 12
Jeff Newman
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: Sports
Sarah Dooley completed her shutout against James Madison expecting to watch the second game of the doubleheader from the bench.
It wasn't until Terrapin softball coach Laura Watten had cycled through the remaining three pitchers until Dooley realized she'd have to go in and close out the Dukes a second time.
"I wasn't expecting to go in, but we always have to be ready to go out there and pick our team up," Dooley said.
It was a tale of two pitching performances for the No. 23 Terps yesterday, but both times they came out with wins.
In the first game, Dooley allowed only one hit and one walk in a seven-inning shutout the Terps (15-1) controlled the entire time and won 3-0.
The Dukes (7-7) jumped on the Terps and starter Meredith Nelles early in the second game when shortstop Amber Kirk hit a three-run shot over the wall in left field to make the score 3-0. The Terps quickly responded, batting around and scoring six runs to make it 6-3 after one inning of play.
"I think we started out strong in the first game and we had no worries, and Meredith just couldn't find the zone, and I think that was a little uncomfortable to all of us" Watten said. "When you can't find the zone and you have to force pitches and you're facing hitters that are swinging as hard as they can, that's going to happen."
Freshman Kerry Hickey came on to relieve Nelles in the first inning, and was subsequently relieved by rarely-used sophomore Lindsey Wright in the third. But after none of the first three pitchers could get into a groove, Watten turned to Dooley, who came in to pitch the final four innings of a 7-4 victory. The junior finished the day with 11 strikeouts and only allowed two hits in 11 innings of play.
"She's great. She has a great head," Watten said. "She stayed with her game, kept throwing her pitches and stayed focused. She's getting so much better each week, and not only does she pitch well, but she plays defense well."
It wasn't until Terrapin softball coach Laura Watten had cycled through the remaining three pitchers until Dooley realized she'd have to go in and close out the Dukes a second time.
"I wasn't expecting to go in, but we always have to be ready to go out there and pick our team up," Dooley said.
It was a tale of two pitching performances for the No. 23 Terps yesterday, but both times they came out with wins.
In the first game, Dooley allowed only one hit and one walk in a seven-inning shutout the Terps (15-1) controlled the entire time and won 3-0.
The Dukes (7-7) jumped on the Terps and starter Meredith Nelles early in the second game when shortstop Amber Kirk hit a three-run shot over the wall in left field to make the score 3-0. The Terps quickly responded, batting around and scoring six runs to make it 6-3 after one inning of play.
"I think we started out strong in the first game and we had no worries, and Meredith just couldn't find the zone, and I think that was a little uncomfortable to all of us" Watten said. "When you can't find the zone and you have to force pitches and you're facing hitters that are swinging as hard as they can, that's going to happen."
Freshman Kerry Hickey came on to relieve Nelles in the first inning, and was subsequently relieved by rarely-used sophomore Lindsey Wright in the third. But after none of the first three pitchers could get into a groove, Watten turned to Dooley, who came in to pitch the final four innings of a 7-4 victory. The junior finished the day with 11 strikeouts and only allowed two hits in 11 innings of play.
"She's great. She has a great head," Watten said. "She stayed with her game, kept throwing her pitches and stayed focused. She's getting so much better each week, and not only does she pitch well, but she plays defense well."
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