PREP NOTEBOOK: Cedarcrest softball pitcher unscored on in her first 10 games

Published 9:50 pm Tuesday, April 22, 2008

For most softball pitchers, throwing a shutout — allowing no runs in a full game — is a highlight. Holding foes scoreless for an entire week of games is even more special.

Hillary Barker has reached an entirely different level.

Barker, a pitcher at Cedarcrest High School, has not allowed a run all season. In 10 games and 65 innings on the mound, the senior has a 0.00 earned-run average. That means every game she’s pitched for unbeaten Cedarcrest (11-0) has been a shutout.

Barker’s other pitching statistics are just as eye-popping. She has tallied 126 strikeouts (an average of almost two per inning) and has walked just two hitters.

And when foes have managed to hit one of Barker’s pitches, Cedarcrest’s defense has almost always been up to the task. Red Wolves fielders have committed just six errors all season.

Barker, a Dartmouth College softball recruit, is the most dominant pitcher in the Class 2A/1A Cascade Conference because she has good control of all of her pitches, second-year Cedarcrest softball coach Les Collins wrote in an e-mail. Barker’s repertoire on the mound includes the following pitches, Collins said: fastball, changeup, curveball and riseball.

The teammate who receives Barker’s various pitches is a key part of the success, Collins said. Cedarcrest catcher Marissa Botts has worked with Barker for four consecutive seasons.

Barker’s also a potent hitter. Through 11 games Barker is batting .485 with three doubles, one triple and one home run. She’s driven in nine runs and has struck out only once.

Collins, who has coached softball for 11 years, has never seen another player like Barker.

“In the years that I have been involved with this program she is the most talented pitcher and offensive player to play for Cedarcrest and the Cascade Conference,” he said.

So how would Barker do if she pitched for a bigger school in the Western Conference? She already has experience playing with many Wesco standouts, including pitchers Jordan Birch (Monroe) and Cory Mattson (Everett), on the Lake Breeze select team.

Said Collins, Barker “certainly would be able to do her part to give her team a chance to be successful. The better the competition the more focused she becomes.”

Chances slim for Eason

There’s just a 10 to 15 percent chance the 20th annual Eason Invitational track and field meet will be rescheduled, meet director Tuck Gionet said Monday. Bad weather forced Gionet to cancel the invite Saturday. He contacted teams to see if there’s enough interest to hold the meet May 3 but so far schedule conflicts have been a problem. Gionet might decide as early as today if the Eason can be revived.

Monroe forward commits

James MacIntyre, a 6-foot-6 forward from Monroe High, verbally committed to play basketball at Carroll College (Helena, Mont.). This past season MacIntyre was an All-Wesco North First Team honoree.

Mike Cane, Herald Writer