Sheehan fans 14 to help Cimarron to softball victory

Cimarron-Memorial softball coach Steve Gorden insists his star pitcher gets better the more she throws.

The Spartans have already put that theory to the test. On Monday, senior Carrie Sheehan proved her coach right.

Sheehan, who threw 23 innings in five games last weekend at a tournament in St. George, Utah, fanned 14 batters Monday to lead the Spartans to an 8-3 home win over Silverado.

“The more we throw her, the better she is. The farther into games she gets, the better she is,” Gorden said. “I try to get her to warm up even more because she’s just that much better if she gets more work.”

Sheehan, who has a full arsenal of pitches, was at her best in the final two innings. Despite throwing 125 pitches, Sheehan struck out the Skyhawks’ final four batters. She fanned nine in the final four innings, completing a five-hitter.

“I do get better,” Sheehan said. “The game gets more intense and it’s more fun.”

Sheehan made only one real mistake Monday, allowing a two-out, two-run single on a 1-2 pitch to pinch hitter Kaitlyn Crane in the fourth inning.

“I just tried to work inside and outside,” Sheehan said.
Silverado got to Sheehan for three runs in the fourth, trimming Cimarron’s lead to 5-3.

The Spartans responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth — two  on a single by Sheehan, who went 3-for-4 with a double.