The Bellevue College softball team continues to win as the season winds into its final month of regular season play. Their 29-4 record is maintained by an 11-game winning streak and places them at first in both the North Region and the Northwest Athletic Conference. Not far behind them is Edmonds, who sit at 24-5 overall and are on a 12-game winning streak of their own.
Bellevue’s last three series were all two-game sweeps over each rival team. The first series against Pierce had Bellevue outscoring them 27-6, including a 13-0 sweep in game two. Pierce might have scored six runs in game one, but it was never a close game. By the time Pierce arrived at their four-run fourth inning, the Bulldogs had already scored 11 runs of their own, securing an easy win. The win was highlighted by catcher Megan Paoli, who went 2-3 with four RBIs, three of which were off a home run in the first inning. Shortstop Tatum Dow made headlines in game two with a pair of home runs to cap off a 3-3 game. The pitching effort was split between Carrisa McDowell and Macey Sykes, who combined for a two-hit shutout over the five innings of play.
The second of three sweeps occurred against Shoreline, where Bellevue outscored the opposition 29-8. The 9-4 victory in game one had the Bulldogs behind, if only for an inning. However, a five-run fifth inning was enough to propel Bellevue ahead. Catcher Paoli and left fielder Tori McDowell both homered in that inning and were key factors in the win. Game two started slow, with the first run coming in the third inning. Bellevue scored just three that inning, which does not tell the whole story behind their 20-4 victory that day. Six bulldogs scored in that inning alone, including a grand slam by McDowell. Catcher Maddy Trout and Dow both hit home runs of their own earlier in the game.
Sweep number three looked tame by comparison, with Bellevue scoring just 17 runs over two games at home against Olympic. Dow had a three-RBI game in the opener, while third baseman Darian Olin had two RBIs of her own. Second baseman Megan Marino also walked three times that game, which matched the walk total of the entire Olympic lineup. The second game was far more of a stomp, with Bellevue scoring 10 runs in just four innings. McDowell went 3-3 with three RBIs on the game, capped by a two-run home run in the first inning. Carissa McDowell and Macey Sykes combined for just one run on three hits over five innings pitched.
While Bellevue doesn’t play second place Edmonds until Apr. 27, they are still inadvertently battling for the first seed. Just a few games separate the two teams, which might seem like a solid gap at first. With how hot both teams are right now, there really isn’t any telling how the remainder of the season will go. Until then, Bellevue will look to secure series wins over Skagit Valley and Douglas.