Athlete of The Week: Sara Webster

By Quintin Harlan

Fri, May 16 2008

— FAIRMOUNT — As the weather improves, Madison-Grant pitcher Sara Webster seems to be warming up with each outing for the Argylls softball team.
The temperatures outside for the Argylls Central Indiana Conference game with Blackford on Friday were projected in the low 70s. The weather must have changed in Blackford that night to something more akin to late June as Webster pitched a complete game — 11 innings’ worth of a complete game — yielded five hits (but none after the seventh inning), no runs, walked none and struck out an eye-popping 14 Bruin batters as Madison-Grant came away with a 1-0 decision.
“I was worrying about getting that one run,” Webster said. “I was kind of surprised (that she didn’t walk any batters). I’d been walking some people lately. But when they told me that I was like ‘that’s cool.’”
This was after some debate by coach Jay Dunlap about whether to start Webster against Blackford.
“I came close to not starting her that night,” said Dunlap. “Then I decided to start and let her get maybe three innings of work in, but that went out the window. She said she felt good and wanted to stay in.”
The Madison-Grant junior followed up that performance by pitching the second half of an Argylls doubleheader sweep of Northwestern on Saturday.
Game 2 of the twin bill saw the Argylls victorious by a 4-2 count. It was also another complete game for Webster with seven more strikeouts added to her tally.
“The warmer weather might have something to do with it,” Dunlap said. “I think she’s just getting more and more comfortable out there with each start.”
Asked what goals she has for the rest of her junior season, Webster rattled off team goals as her top priority.
“Winning the CIC, the Grant Four (Tournament), Sectional, Regional and making it to State,” said Webster.
But what of individual goals?
“Just to help the team win,” she said.
With starts like she’s had recently and the ultimate result of the team winning, confidence and momentum can start piling up and so can those nervous butterflies.
“I still get nervous,” said Webster. “It’s an adrenaline rush and the game’s fun.”
“The goal we have for her is to get her to believe that she doesn’t have to strike out everybody,” said Dunlap. “But she would if we asked her to.”
Madison-Grant is now 8-3 on the year and hosts Daleville at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.