EVERETT — Every high school softball player in Snohomish County knows about Stanwood’s Brittany Jeans. Some may not know about Everett’s Lexie Levin.
Until Tuesday night.
In a coming out party for Levin, Everett outlasted Stanwood 1-0 at Lincoln Field Tuesday night.
Not only did the Seagull sophomore outduel Jeans (a senior and James Madison recruit) in the circle, but Levin also batted 2-for-3 against Jeans, including hitting a game-deciding solo home run to dead center field in the fourth inning.
“She (Levin) hasn’t pitched a whole lot,” Everett coach Kyle Peacocke said. “So, I’m kinda getting to know her a little bit. Obviously I was real happy with what she did tonight. She is a very competitive person both at the plate and in the circle. I think she stepped up to the challenge tonight.”
Levin also doubled in the first inning and took to heart the pregame Seagull strategy of attacking Jeans early in the count before she went to her deadly riseball.
“I was thinking I don’t want to see the riseball,” Levin said. “So I’m going to hit the first pitch right down the middle.”
With a tennis player’s grunt, that is exactly what Levin did to Jeans’ first offering with one out in the fourth and the fastball cleared the center-field fence easily.
In the ensuing at bat, Jeans gave up her final hit of the game to catcher Anna Hudson and then Chailah Forman battled back from an 0-2 count to draw an eight-pitch walk.
The fourth was the only inning Jeans allowed multiple baserunners and it looked like the home run may have rattled her. Then Stanwood right fielder Sarah Crane made the defensive play of the game, snaring Bailee Wetmore’s liner off of her shoe tops and quickly doubled up Hudson at second to end the threat.
Jeans (6-1) struck out five batters in six innings and allowed three hits and one walk.
The Seagulls knew going in that playing Stanwood would be tough and Levin drew extra motivation from facing Jeans in the circle.
“I think I wanted to prove to her that I maybe don’t throw as fast as her but I can get the job done,” Levin said.
Levin gave up two singles in the first and allowed a baserunner in every inning until the seventh. However, every time the Spartans threatened, she shut them down.
“I was a little nervous going against them, so I didn’t want to leave anything high or too low so they don’t jack it out of the park,” Levin said.
The Spartans biggest threat came in the top of the fifth when Shawna Hochstetler hit a one-out, ground-rule double. Kristen Musgrove then grounded out — advancing Hochstetler to third — and Jeans drew a walk, putting the winning runs on base. Levin dug down and blew a fastball past Tori Kriegel to end the threat. The strikeout was one of six for Levin.
“Lexi showed me something tonight in terms of her competitiveness and her ability to be a shutdown pitcher,” Peacocke said.
Stanwood coach Cherlyn Schander wasn’t too concerned after the Spartans’ first loss of the season.
“We are OK,” she said. “We kept them to minimal hits. We just hit right to them. … One pitch can make all the difference. Either way, one pitch can cost you a game or one pitch can make you a game. That’s what makes it exciting.”
Everett gets a chance to bask in the glory of being undefeated atop Wesco North for awhile. The Seagulls next game isn’t until next week against Arlington.
At Lincoln Field
Stanwood0000000—060
Everett0001000—130
Brittany Jeans and Sam Bingham. Lexie Levin and Anna Hudson. WP—Levin (5-1). LP—Jeans (5-1). 2B—Levin (E) 1, Shawna Hochstetler (S) 1 HR—Levin (E) 1 Records—Stanwood 2-1 league, 5-0 overall. Everett 3-0, 6-1.
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