WINSLOW — Pitching wasn’t a problem for the Lawrence softball team last season. It doesn’t look like it will be this spring, either.
Junior Sage Reed was dominant in the season opener Wednesday, overwhelming defending Class B North champion Winslow with 16 strikeouts in a 9-0 victory.
Reed allowed only one hit, a first-inning single by Emma Michaud, and recorded the last seven outs and nine of the last 10 by strikeout.
“We came in not knowing what to expect, and I know have a team behind me that’s able to field,” Reed said. “It usually takes the first inning, and then you figure out the ump’s strike zone. From there, it’s locked in.”
This isn’t new from Reed, who flourished in her sophomore season for a Lawrence team that went 12-5 and made the B North quarterfinals, even throwing a no-hitter in the process. In the early going this spring, coach Joey Marcoux said Reed has brought her all-business attitude back from last season.
“It’s the same,” he said. “When she steps in the circle, she’s ready to go.”
It’s not a one-pitcher show, however. In Reed and Jazmin Johnson, who was at second base Wednesday, Lawrence has a pair of hurlers who are able to step in and do the job.
“I wouldn’t say we’re similar, I’d say we definitely have a lot of differences, but it works,” Reed said. “It’s just something you learn eventually. I know she’s also a good pitcher. If I’m not doing well, it’s always good to know I have somebody behind me who can come in.”
Lawrence pitcher Sage Reed fires a pitch during a game Wednesday against host Winslow. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
The two effectively split pitching duties last year, and in the preseason, Marcoux said they were even in their innings.
“It’s really cool. We’re both good pitchers and we’re both good field players. … I think that’s what really helps us out,” Johnson said. “We yin-yang each other, and we’re able to really thrive off of each other when we’re out there.”
Marcoux said he’s seen progress from both players in the circle.
“Both of the pitchers have gone and worked really hard all winter long, and they’ve both shown marked improvement,” he said. “They’ve gained a little on their speed, they’ve been working on their extra spinning pitches. And they’re both, mentally, right in it all the time.”
Reed couldn’t have been much sharper Wednesday. After stranding runners at the corners in the first, she struck out the side in the second, sixth and seventh innings, and fanned two in the third, fourth and fifth. She struck out eight of the nine batters in the Winslow lineup, and at one point went 14 straight batters without allowing a baserunner.
“That was incredible,” Johnson said. “To be able to watch that and cheer her on, that’s great.”
“I wouldn’t say (I got) stronger,” Reed added. “I’d say more comfortable and more confident.”
She didn’t have to worry about support. Lawrence went up 1-0 in the first when Kaylee Elkins (2-for-4, double) reached on an error and scored on Reed’s grounder to short. The lead went to 4-0 in the third when Taylor Wilkie scored on Johnson’s single, Jade Sullivan scored on Maylie Knox’s sacrifice fly and Johnson scored on Rylee Veilleux’s grounder to the pitcher.
Winslow batter Lacey Silanpaa takes a pitch from Lawrence High School pitcher Sage Reed during a softball game Wednesday in Winslow. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
In the fifth, the Bulldogs got insurance when Johnson walked and scored on Reed’s double, Knox and Veilleux had RBI singles and Veilleux scored on a wild pitch for an 8-0 lead. Elkins drove in Gabbie Nickerson with a single in the seventh for the final run.
“Our pitching’s been very good, our hitting’s been suspect (in the preseason),” Marcoux said. “It came alive today, we were squaring the ball up really well. It was good to see.”
It was the first test for the Black Raiders since their storybook run from a season ago.
“We’re trying to focus on mentally showing up every day and being prepared to play softball,” said coach Kacey Larsen, who got five strikeouts from Michaud in the circle. “We didn’t lose a lot of players last year, so we’re coming back with a team that’s really comfortable with each other, and there’s a lot of trust there. There’s a good foundation.”
Wednesday was a tough way to start, but Larsen said her team has proven its ability to bounce back.
“The really cool thing about this group of girls is they sort of have this ability to erase what’s happened in the past, and just move forward,” she said. “It worked in our favor last year, we would take a tough loss in the regular season and they could just move on past it. … I expect that tomorrow in practice, we’re going to move on like this didn’t even happen.”
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