Romo’s third no-hitter leads Basic past Clark
Lacey Romo might like a mulligan for the first batter of Thursday’s softball game.
After that, though, Basic’s right-hander couldn’t have been better.
Romo walked Clark leadoff hitter Jasmine Fukuda and then retired the next 21 hitters in order to lift the Wolves to their eighth straight win, a 5-0 home victory over the Chargers.
Though the season is only eight days old, Basic (8-0) surpassed its win total for all of last year when it went 7-10.
Already the author of two perfect games this year, Romo struck out 12 Thursday in her seventh game in the circle this season. She has allowed two runs — both unearned — and only 16 hits in 39 innings.
“When her riseball is working, people chase after that a lot,” Basic coach Bart Black said.
After the walk to Fukuda, Romo struck out the next seven Clark hitters, six swinging, on a total of 29 pitches.
Romo’s repertoire includes a changeup she barely used Thursday, a curveball and a screwball, but her No. 1 pitch was the one Clark couldn’t handle.
“My rise is definitely my bread-and-butter pitch,” Romo said.
Clark didn’t hit a ball hard until Lauren Kuenzi lined out to left fielder Jenilee Medina to end the fifth inning. Only one other batted ball, Anna Jaehn’s liner right at center fielder Jessica Pittman in the seventh inning, left the infield.
“My team helps me when I need it,” Romo said. “I didn’t even think about the no-hitter.”
Romo provided all the offense she needed in the first inning when she smacked an 0-and-2 pitch over the fence in right-center for a two-run home run that plated Adrian Brown.
“When we score early, it seems like it puts pressure on the other team to try to figure out a way to get a run or two,” Black said.
The Wolves added three more runs in the third on RBI grounders by Marissa Ross, Amanda Green and Brandy Huff.
Romo and Brown each had two of Basic’s six hits.
“We’ve always been fourth or a team that just misses the playoffs,” Black said. “Instead of being the hunter, we want to be the hunted. We’re striving for that.”
