Spartans edge Panthers
March 25, 2009 - 9:00 pm
Carrie Sheehan insisted her right arm wasn't sore after Tuesday's softball game.
Maybe the thrill of leading Cimarron-Memorial to a 14-inning win over rival Palo Verde pushed aside any soreness from throwing 204 pitches in a complete game.
Sheehan and fellow sophomore Missy McCormick put on a pitching clinic, but the visiting Spartans scored an unearned run to edge Palo Verde 2-1 in the Northwest League opener for both teams.
"It's awesome," Sheehan said. "I feel great right now."
Sheehan tossed a seven-hitter and struck out 16. McCormick pitched a four-hitter and struck out 22, which is believed to be a state record.
"We want competitive games, obviously, but wow," Cimarron coach Steve Gorden said. "Carrie is just so talented. She can go a long way in softball."
Jessica White's two-out double to left-center with two outs in the top of the 14th brought home Hannah Williams with the decisive run.
Williams reached when her bunt was misplayed by Palo Verde's third baseman -- the Panthers' sixth error.
"Honestly, I thought we were the better hitting team; we just made some errors," Palo Verde coach Kelly Glass said. "I'm trying to fill a hole at third base."
White followed, hitting the first pitch to the gap in left-center. Panthers center fielder Alex Alakai fell trying to track down the ball, allowing Williams to score from first.
"You just have to focus on what you need to do," said White, who was 0-for-4 and reached on a misplayed sacrifice bunt before her hit. "I was still confident, but it was nerve-racking."
White was McCormick's seventh strikeout victim ... and her 11th ... and her 13th ... and her 20th.
"That hit was huge," Gorden said.
Neither team scored until the 10th inning, though Palo Verde loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh.
Lauren Stover led off the seventh with a double, and consecutive intentional walks gave the Panthers a golden chance to win.
But Cimarron brought Williams, the right fielder, into the infield, and the move paid off. Williams snagged Desi King's line drive and doubled off the runner at first. A grounder to first ended the threat.
"Thank goodness for my defense," Sheehan said. "I can't do anything without them."
White scored in the 10th on three Palo Verde errors and a passed ball.
The Panthers responded in the bottom half of the inning. Rachel Mez singled, moved to third on two wild pitches and scored on McCormick's two-out, two-strike single to left-center.
McCormick, who had eight strikeouts in the first three innings, threw 184 pitches.
"She does a great job for us," Glass said. "She pitched her heart out."
McCormick's 22 strikeouts are the most ever reported to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, which keeps the state's record book.
Mallary Darby struck out 19 batters in a seven-inning game for Spanish Springs last year, a feat that was matched this month by Bishop Manogue's Megan Dortch.
Contact reporter Bartt Davis at bdavis@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5230.
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TUESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
BASEBALL
• Matt Kaser struck out 11, including eight of the last 10 batters, as Coronado beat visiting Liberty, 5-2.
• Eric Holdren pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, striking out 11, as Rancho beat visiting Heritage (Colo.), 10-4.
• Joey Lauria was 5-for-5 with a double and five RBIs to help visiting Legacy beat Shadow Ridge, 18-8.
SOFTBALL
• Shayla Grace hit a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the eighth to lift Shadow Ridge to a 5-4 home win over Legacy.
• Amanda Roark tossed a one-hitter to lift Tech to its first-ever Southeast League win, 8-1 over visiting Del Sol.
MOJAVE'S MARSHALL EARNS GATORADE HONOR
Mojave guard Anthony Marshall has been named the Gatorade Nevada Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Marshall, who has signed to play at UNLV next season, averaged 25 points, six assists, five rebounds and three blocked shots for the Rattlers.
He helped Mojave to a 17-9 record and a berth in the Sunset Region tournament.
Marshall was a member of the Review-Journal's all-state team, and was named Sunset Region Most Valuable Player.
Marshall now is eligible for the national player of the year award, which is expected to be announced this month.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL