McDowell’s 20th career homer sparks Sehome softball

The 20th home run of Sehome junior Carissa McDowell’s career was also likely the longest and perhaps psychologically the most important for both McDowell and the Mariners.

McDowell’s shot on the first pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning off last year’s Northwest Conference MVP, Bellingham senior Eliza Rossman (7-1), snapped a scoreless tie and league-leading Sehome went on to a 10-0, six-inning win Friday at Squalicum Creek Park.

Sophomore Savannah Smith (8-0) struck out 13 and allowed two hits for the Mariners (10-0 overall, 5-0 NWC), who came in with a phenomenal 110 runs in their first nine games.

Sehome had 16 hits against Rossman, who came in with 93 strikeouts for the season. She had allowed only 10 hits and three runs in her first seven games for the Red Raiders (7-1, 3-1).

“Carissa’s homer was a good 250 to 260 feet,” said longtime Sehome coach Jim Emerson. “Yes, I think it’s her longest ever.”

McDowell said she was happiest “because that homer (her eighth this season) really pumped up our team.”

“Coach just told me ’you need to not swing so hard. We just need a run, so relax.’ That taught me not to swing so hard and think so hard,” said McDowell. She struck out looking in her first at-bat against Rossman, who now has 101 strikeouts in fewer than 50 innings.

SMITH SUPERB

Red Raiders catcher Carrie Latimer had the only two hits off Smith, who credited assistant coach Greg Aucutt’s pitch-calling for a big part of her success. She had at least two strikeouts in every inning.

“I used my two-seam pitch,” said Smith, whose season high is 17 strikeouts against Anacortes. “That pitch breaks to the outside corner and has more movement than a four-seam fastball.”

BIG HITTERS

McDowell finished 3 for 4 and added a two-run single and a triple after her mammoth shot. Natalie Zender went 3 for 4 with a single, double and a home run for a 7-0 lead in the fifth.

The Mariners made it 4-0 in the fourth on Megan Hall’s single, Zender’s double, Hannah Webster’s two-run single and an RBI hit by No. 9 batter Maryellen Burfiend, who went 2 for 3. Tori McDowell’s single and Lisa Lee’s bunt single set up a two-run, two-out hit by Carissa McDowell for a 6-0 bulge.

Rebekah Miksovsky’s two-run single ended the game in the sixth in the 10-run rule. McDowell’s triple, Hall’s RBI single and Zender’s third hit set up Miksovsky’s big moment.

EMPATHY FOR RAIDERS

Emerson knew it was the toughest of losses for the improved Red Raiders.

“The girls all know each other and I think Eliza Rossman is a great kid,” the Sehome coach said. “And (coach) Rick Ellis does a great job. Our bats just came alive.”

The phrase “great job” also applied to third baseman Carissa McDowell, who snagged a hard line by Bellingham standout Lindsey Richard for the first out of the fourth, after Latimer’s second hit. Smith ended the inning with two strikeouts.

LOADED SCHEDULES

In a rain-plagued spring, Bellingham must play its final 12 regular-season games in a 25-day span, beginning Monday at Burlington-Edison. Sehome will play its last 10 regular-season contests in 24 days, starting Tuesday against Meridian at Geri Fields.

This story was originally published April 15, 2017 at 7:52 AM with the headline "McDowell’s 20th career homer sparks Sehome softball."