By Rick Assad
There are times when you’re on and everything works and other instances when you’re not and it doesn’t.
For Providence High’s Grace Workman when she faced Chadwick on Tuesday afternoon in a Prep League game at Olive Park, the right-handed pitcher was the former after shutting down the Dolphins 8-0 on two hits with 15 strikeouts.
In five of the seven innings, Workman retired Chadwick in order and in three of the five, Workman struck out the side.
Workman fanned five in a row and six straight at different points in the game.
“I love when we come out strong in the first inning. It sets the tone for our team for the rest of the game,” said Workman, a senior. “My main goal every game I pitch is to work my pitches so I can help my team get the win. It’s always a nice bonus to pitch a shutout.”
After striking out Molly Schwartz swinging in the first inning, Workman whiffed Dami Ogundimu on a called strike, and Sophie Stanley and Peyton Brantley swinging in the next frame.
Schwartz had Chadwick’s two hits and they were a single to center field in the fourth inning and a single up the middle in the sixth.
Three batters whiffed in the third frame, and they were Jessica Piamonte, Lizbeth Lopez and Daniela Morales, all swinging.
Mia Cabrera was a strikeout victim in the fourth inning after taking a called third strike.
Workman fanned Stanley and Brantley swinging and Piamonte looking in the fifth.
Workman struck out two hitters in the sixth, Abi Ogundimu on a called strike and Santa Ana swinging.
Cabrera struck out swinging to lead off the seventh inning and Workman finished by striking out Brantley swinging to end the game.
Manny Travieso is the Providence head coach and likes the direction of the team and Workman.
“We played most of our girls and I loved the way they supported each other,” he noted. “Grace did her job and keeps getting stronger each start. That’s what you want from your pitchers, always getting better.”
Patti Workman is an assistant coach and the Providence pitching coach.
“The team is playing really well together and came out strong today to get the win,” she said. “Grace has been working hard on her different pitches and is dedicated to helping the team achieve their goals this season.”
The Pioneers proved to be ready from the start after scoring five runs in the first inning off pitcher Samantha Santa Ana.
Nine batters trotted to the plate and three of them delivered base hits and two produced runs batted in and three hitters drew walks.
Junior Gloria Galindo had a three-run double to left center and senior Belen Benito added a run-tallying double to left field.
Senior Breanna Pelaez led off the frame with an infield it and senior Malia Rode, junior Delailah Lopez and junior Mia Allinson all walked and each scored.
Three frames later, the Pioneers (8-1 and 5-0 in league) added a solo run to make it 6-0 over the Dolphins (0-5-1 and 0-3 in league).
Sophomore Arianna Benito swatted a two-out single to left field that scored Pelaez, who collected the second of three singles.
Providence’s cushion became 7-0 at the end of the fifth as Belen Benito cracked a one-out double to left center. Benito then swiped third base and crossed the plate on a throwing error.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Pioneers added their third solo run and an 8-0 advantage as Pelaez reached base on an infield hit, stole second base, went to third base on an miscue and stole home.
Santa Ana finished stronger than she started and yielded seven hits with 12 strikeouts and six walks in six frames.
