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Varsity 541 NEWS NOW One person confirmed injured in Lawnridge Street fire ... Crews encircle Cleveland Ridge fire near Shady Cove ... Emergency services, Aug. 25 ... One person confirmed injured in Lawnridge Street fire ... Crews encircle Cleveland Ridge fire near Shady Cove ... Emergency services, Aug. 25 ... PREP SOFTBALL Making her pitch With junior Thomas in circle, North Medford rolls along Comment By Kris Henry Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Posted May. 2, 2015 at 2:00 AM By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Posted May. 2, 2015 at 2:00 AM --> SARAH THOMAS WHO: A 5-foot-5 junior pitcher for the North Medford softball team. WHAT: In her first season as the Black Tornado’s top pitcher, Thomas has responded with a 10-2 re... » Read more X SARAH THOMAS WHO: A 5-foot-5 junior pitcher for the North Medford softball team. WHAT: In her first season as the Black Tornado’s top pitcher, Thomas has responded with a 10-2 record, 2.08 ERA and three-to-one ratio in strikeouts (105) to walks (34). UP NEXT: Today, noon, South Medford at North Medford (dh). » Social News It’s not easy being a pitcher for any softball team. Those who may wither under an unrelenting spotlight or don’t want the responsibility of shouldering a team’s performance need not apply. Once you step inside the circle and take the ball, you assume a role that, honestly, not everyone is willing to take on. In the case of North Medford junior Sarah Thomas, there’s no shortage of pressure, especially given the success of those who came before her, and yet here she stands on the cusp of another outstanding season by the Black Tornado. In her first season as North Medford’s top pitcher — following the likes of Taylor Schmidt, Kelsie Bartley, Maryssa Becker and Alexis Barkwell — Thomas has held her own in sporting a 10-2 record and 2.08 ERA entering today’s key Southwest Conference doubleheader against sixth-ranked South Medford (16-2, 11-2 SWC). The first pitch in today’s twin bill at No. 8 North Medford (12-4, 11-2) will be at noon, with each team one game back of No. 2 Grants Pass in the SWC title chase. “Going into it, I definitely knew that I had huge shoes to fill after Maryssa Becker and Alexis and everyone,” says Thomas. “I’m not necessarily an overpowering pitcher, I don’t have the speed North Medford has had in the past, but I just came into this season thinking that if I hit my spots and get the ball moving the right way, I have a good defense behind me and we’d be all right.” A pair of Portland-area losses in the early going to Westview and Jesuit helped Thomas settle her nerves, she says, and she really gained confidence on April 14 when North Medford secured a 4-0 win over South Medford. “The growth we’ve made from our first two games up in Portland is incredible,” says the 17-year-old right-hander. “We’re always striving to be better on Saturday than we were on Tuesday and just looking to improve overall, and I think we’ve done that.” A good deal of the credit goes to Thomas, who has helped guide a relatively inexperienced group with her consistent approach inside the circle. “She’s a really smart kid who works really hard,” says North Medford head coach Mike Mayben. “She’s very intelligent and knows what she wants to do inside the circle and has a game plan and just goes out and executes it.” To be in the position she is with North Medford has been a “dream come true” for Thomas, who started working with a pitching coach at age 9 and has come to love being in control and setting the tempo for her team. Being able to handle the pitching chores for a program with as rich of a history as North Medford has only amplified the experience. The Black Tornado has won three of the last six state titles and seven overall. “It’s a huge honor,” she says. “Ever since I was in fifth grade and started pitching for North Medford, seeing Taylor Schmidt and Maryssa Becker go through and the legacy they’ve left here, it’s been a dream of mine forever to be here. I feel like everything I’ve worked on since 9 is starting to pay off. It’s a huge honor to finally be having the ball in this program.” “There’s definitely a lot of people watching you and a lot you have to live up to,” adds the 5-foot-5, 135-pound standout, “but you can’t think about the past, you just have to go out and try your best right now.” That realistic approach has helped set her apart this season, according to Mayben. “The nice part with Sarah is I don’t think she gets too caught up with trying to be one of those special kids that came before her,” says the coach. “She knows her limitations and really for her, it’s about having a good game plan and hitting her spots, and when she does that she gives herself a great chance to win.” Thomas credits much of her development to Black Tornado pitching coach Greg Winner, as well as her junior catcher Tra Kucera, who has given up her free time to put in extra work with Thomas. While North Medford has known all along that this season would be a work in progress, with only a handful of returners off last year’s state runner-up squad, Thomas says they’ve remained confident that the job could be done. “It was definitely nerve-racking in the beginning, but I feel like we’re starting to get our confidence,” she says. “We were flying under the radar for a long time and it was kind of nice in that underdog position, but now we’re finally starting to get up there and people are like, ‘Whoa, I never saw this coming.’ We’ve worked so hard for it so it’s nice that we’re finally getting recognized and back on the radar.” With a renewed competitive spirit, spearheaded by Thomas, the Black Tornado is hoping for another long run in the Class 6A state playoffs. “We want everyone now,” says Thomas. “I feel like now we know we can play with those top teams and we’re definitely going to be someone to watch. When we play with confidence and have each other’s back, we’re a great team.” Reach reporter Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, [email protected], www.facebook.com/krishenryMT or www.twitter.com/Kris_Henry By Kris Henry Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Posted May. 2, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction Schedules & Events --> Recent Scores --> Prep Notebook Kris Henry Challengers make it back on top in softball Winning the Southern Cascade League title seemed like a pretty bold goal this spring considering the recent history of the Cascade Christian... Varsity 541 Photos Coach K Summer Competition at SOU U19 Memorial Day Challenge North Medford vs. Grant State Track & Field 6A-6 SWC District Championships 5A-3 Midwestern League Districts - Day 1 » More Photo Galleries Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications | Contact Us | Advertise | © Copyright Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.