Three more shutouts and three more wins sent the Falcon fastpitch team further toward legendary status this week.
For the past 10 games, the South Whidbey girls have not seen a single opposing baserunner cross home plate as the number “0” seemed a permanent installation on the “visitor” side of the scoreboard.
Excitement in this week’s games was served up in a couple of different ways. On Thursday, it was the absence of junior pitcher Christie Robinson that threw a potential curve into the game. Robinson was home sick after shutting out nine straight opponents, so freshman Alea Robertson got her first shot at the starting job.
As it turned out, the result was the same, Robinson or no. Behind a one-hitter by Robertson, the Falcons had the breathing room to take advantage of the Cougars on the basepaths, as they stole base after base to win 11-0 on just four hits. Wild pitches and six walks added up as the Falcons put the game away on the 10-run rule in the fifth — just before a hard rain poured down.
Actually getting the bat on the ball for South Whidbey was Kelsey Broderick, who was 2-for3 with an RBI, an freshman Teah Wanamaker with a three RBI double in the seventh.
The true stresser of the week was a 2-0 victory over Mount Baker at home Tuesday. The Mountaineers, which came into the game at 5-0 and in first place in the North Cascades Conference ahead of the then-4-0 Falcons, proved to be one of the toughest opponents South Whidbey has faced this season. The Falcons just pulled off a 2-0 winning, due in large part to another shutout performance by Christie Robinson. Robinson struck out 17 of the 21 batters she faced and gave up just two hits over seven innings.
Offense was the tough spot in the game, as 11 South Whidbey batters fanned at the plate. After getting two runners on base in the first inning, but failing to score, the Falcons gave their best effort at the plate in the third. With two outs, junior Becky Gabelein got on base with an infield single. Senior Bronwyn Russell followed her, taking first on pass balls. Both came home when junior catcher Carolann Lubach smacked a a double to left center.
On Wednesday, the Falcons traveled to Burlington-Edison High School, where they won a 6-0 contest. Christie Robinson went the distance, striking out 15, and the Falcons took the game on a three-run fourth inning in which Lubach was again the RBI hero, bringing two home on a two run single.
South Whidbey is now 6-0 in the NCC and 10-0 overall. The Falcons have allowed no runs this season while scoring 73.
