Sheehan, Spartans win clash of rival aces
Carrie Sheehan didn't come close to blinking.
In a matchup of two of the state's top softball pitchers, the Cimarron-Memorial senior outdueled rival and Palo Verde senior Melissa McCormick on Monday.
Sheehan threw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and crushed a three-run home run in the third inning to lift the Spartans to a 4-0 road victory.
"It's always been a competition between me and Missy to see who can outpitch who," Sheehan said. "When we play Palo, we always have such great games. It's always a pitching duel."
Sheehan and McCormick have been varsity pitchers since they were freshmen, and they have had some memorable duels. In 2009 they hooked up in a 14-inning beauty, won by Cimarron 2-1, in which winner Sheehan struck out 16 and McCormick fanned 22.
But Monday's performance might have been Sheehan's best against Palo Verde. She walked two and hit a batter, and only two Panthers reached second base, both with two outs.
"Carrie was very focused," said Cimarron coach Steve Gorden, whose team is 8-4 overall, 3-1 in the Northwest League. "She said she was going to bring her 'A' game, and she did. When Missy and Carrie play each other, they're both so focused because they have known each other for so long."
Sheehan threw 69 of 103 pitches for strikes and fanned seven of Palo Verde's first 10 batters, including five in a row. She effectively mixed a riseball, dropball, changeup and curve.
"She pitched just the way we asked her to pitch," Gorden said.
McCormick tossed a four-hitter with no walks. She struck out 14, throwing 75 of 102 pitches for strikes.
Sheehan provided her own offense, picking on a high McCormick change-up and depositing it over the fence in left-center field with two outs in the third.
The Panthers (8-4, 2-1) should have been out of the inning before Sheehan batted, but a passed ball on a third strike allowed Stephanie Yacek to reach base with one out. Hannah Williams followed with a bunt single before a fielder's choice erased Yacek at third. Sheehan ripped a 1-1 pitch for a 3-0 lead.
The Spartans added another unearned run in the sixth, again aided by Palo Verde's fielding. After Sheehan's one-out bloop single was misjudged, courtesy runner Ashley Doherty stole second and eventually scored with two outs when a third strike was dropped and the relay was thrown away.
Contact reporter Bartt Davis at bdavis@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5230.
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MONDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
BASEBALL
Mojave's Carlos Romo hit a grand slam and solo homer in the second inning of an 8-7 win at Boulder City.
Bishop Gorman's T.J. White belted a two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the seventh to give the Gaels a 4-3 win over Hamilton (Ariz.) in the Big League Dugout Invitational at Phoenix.
Bonanza's Jake Zebe hit a two-out, two-run double in the seventh, giving the Bengals a 9-7 win at Western.
SOFTBALL
Faith Lutheran's Maya Barnes singled home Nicole Tayrian in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Crusaders an 8-7 win over visiting Cheyenne.
Desert Oasis' Lenzi Cram pitched a five-inning no-hitter in relief in a 14-0 home victory over Sierra Vista. Cram entered in the first inning after the first two Sierra Vista batters drew walks.
Durango's Samantha Juarez was 3-for-4 with four RBIs in an 8-1 win over visiting Pahrump Valley.
