By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SHERIDAN, Ore.–  Madison Brewster is slowly coming into her own entering her second season pitching for the Sheridan eight games into the 2022 season with the sophomore helping lead the Spartans to their 5-3 start, coming down the stretch of the season.

What’s weird too is that Sheridan Head Coach Carrie Nielsen moved the underclassmen to pitcher during her freshman year last season with Emily Rech about to graduate.  But looked the part for much of the Sparts 13-2 win over Western Christian in her second year pitching at the High School level on Thursday afternoon in Sheridan.  Hitting the zone consistently on the heels of her 13-strikeout performance Wednesday against Culver.

“I just made her a pitcher last year.  She pitched in like young, young grades and then I told her we needed a pitcher and I know she could step up to the job,” Nielsen said.  “I’m super proud of her. She has mental strength, physical strength.  She’s a leader and she’s a captain  on the team and she stepped up to the plate to pitch and to lead.”

“She’s been doing phenomenal.  She’s pulled a lot of weight and I’m so proud of her,” adds Trinity Blacketer of Brewster.

The battery of Brewster and Blacketer helped lead a Sheridan defense in holding the Pioneers scoreless going into the fifth inning.  Offensively, the Sparts built themselves a 11-0 lead and were looking to put away the victory on the heels of their 11-4 defeat from the day before.

“I think we bounced back from yesterday.  We didn’t have really good attitudes and today we just came in with really good attitudes.  Our bats, we were more on our bats today with our defense and everything,” Brewster said.

Brewster struck out five Thursday while driving in a few runs to help her cause from an offensive perspective.  Western Christian extended the game in the top half of the fifth inning with two runs and the Pios Elsa Hibler held the Sparts scoreless going into the fifth inning.  The Western Christian offense however couldn’t chip into the lead further  as Sheridan pushed two more runs across the board to clinch the victory via the mercy-rule to close out the week.

But next week will be a grind.  Almost Summer Ball feel with six games in five daysJefferson on Monday in Jefferson.  Doubleheader at Santiam Tuesday in Mill City with another doubleheader Thursday in Sheridan against Kennedy before finishing off the week against Western Christian once more as they try to make up as many games as they can 

It’ll be one of those where they’ll be challenged both physically and mentally.  But it’s something they’ll take one step at a time with.

“As much as we can we got to rest.  Make sure we ice our arms a bit if they’re hurting.  Stay hydrated is another thing,” Blacketer said.  :”We just got to stick with it.”

“We just got to come out every day like it’s a new game.  Our last game didn’t matter, it’s a new game (now),” adds Brewster.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald