Concord junior pitcher Natalee Rowell dominated as she threw nine strikeouts and allowed only two hits in a complete five-inning game shutout of Bedford.
Concord, now well into the season, improved to 5-2 after Monday’s win. That record is thanks in large part to an exceptionally solid defensive start to the season as the team has only allowed 12 runs through seven games.
“It definitely feels good to trust your defence and know that they’ll be getting hits for you, so the pressure’s not all on me,” Rowell said after the win.
Perhaps more impressively, the team only has 12 players on the roster.
Rowell explained that the trust and tight-knit bond of the small group has gone a long way in their comfort and chemistry on the field. They grew up playing together, and it shows.
Her communication with sophomore catcher Kiley Taylor was on full display for every strikeout and the two rarely fell behind in the count against a Bedford team hunting for runs.
On offense, everybody got a piece. Bedford rotated through three pitchers, but Concord’s bats were just too hot.
“Didn’t make any errors, hit the ball well, Natalee pitched well,” head coach Duke Sawyer said. “We did a lot of things well today, stole a couple of bases. It was, for us, a good, complete game.”
Kiley Taylor, the lead-off hitter, got on base all four times with two singles, an RBI double and a walk to set the tone.
The team went ahead 2-0 in the first with an RBI double by junior Maggie Taylor and some clever base-running by her to steal home on a passed ball. Concord stayed aggressive.
Junior third-base Camryn Dubois made the winning play on offense. With the bases loaded and Concord leading 9-0 in the fourth, she worked the count to 2-2.
She had fouled off one already but set her feet and drove the ball right down the third base line for a triple, driving in Rowell, Ella Gray and Anna Leon.
“I was thinking, next pitch is my pitch. I got two strikes on me, so anything that comes close I’m just gonna swing,” Dubois said.
After that, the team was able to close out the game in a comfortable fashion. Their next game will be away at Nashua North on Wednesday, scheduled for a 4 p.m. start.