Nevada Appeal News Services

RENO - Brianne McGowan showed why she is arguably the best pitcher in the state.

McGowan fanned 24 and allowed just four total hits, as Wooster swept Douglas 2-1 and 8-0 in a Sierra League softball dobleheader here Friday afternoon.

The loss snapped Douglas' two-game league winning streak. The Tigers host Hug in a 10 a.m. doubleheader today.

In the first game, McGowan was locked up in a pitching duel with Katie Pagen, who took the loss despite allowing only three hits. Pagen fanned six and walked three, and McGowan fanned 11, walked one and finished with a three-hitter.

Wooster took a 2-0 lead in the third when Jenny Lazzari walked and scored on Andrea Lazzari's double to left. McGowan singled and Jaclyn Picollo walked to load the bases. Neelie Kildow hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Andrea Lazzari.

The Tigers proved McGowan was hittable when Kaycee Wilcks beat out an infield chopper and scored on Valerie Smith's one-out triple in the right-centerfield gap. Smith was cut down at the plate trying to score on Kayla Dunn's groundball to third, and that was Douglas' last serious threat.

McGowan retired nine of the last 11 hitters she faced, and Pagen retired the last 11 she faced.

In the nightcap, Wooster took control early, scoring one in the first and two in the second off Dunn, who took the loss.

Katie Stevens opened the first with a triple, and scored on Jenny Lazzari's infield out. The Colts made it 3-0 in the second when Valerie Fritz hit a sacrifice fly and Brittany Bennett hit a run-scoring single.

That was more than enough for McGowan, who after allowing a first-inning single to Brittany Puzey, retired 20 of the last 21 batters she faced to finish with a one-hitter.

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