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CLEAR Temp: 67 °F Wind: NW at 7 mph Sunday, June 2, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Cyberchef E The People Golf Job Network Headbone Zone Wellness Connection Movie Times Newspaper in Education Oregon CarZone Outdoor Journal Personals Prime Times Real Estate Tempo A & E TV Times W3 Magazine CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Destinations Automotive Communities Employment Entertainment Publications Real Estate Recreation Shopping Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Jobs @ Mail Tribune Email Story to a Friend June 2, 2002 Sevano has a trophy-winning performance for Black Tornado By TIM PYLE Mail Tribune Keri Sevano doesn’t blow batters away. For that matter, the junior pitcher doesn’t blow first-time observers away either. But at the end of all but one of her decisions this spring and all but seven of the state-champion North Medford High softball team’s 26 total wins, Sevano was slapping hands and sharing hugs as the winning pitcher. She was doing the same — plus dousing head coach Larry Binney with an ice-water shower — following Saturday’s 1-0, 10-inning victory over Springfield for the state championship. Plain and simple, Sevano is a winner. She showed that to 2,186 fans at Erv Lind Stadium, hurling 10 shutout innings with the Class 4A crown on the line. For the fifth time in the Black Tornado’s remarkable state-playoff run, Sevano outdueled a first-team all-league opposing pitcher — this time, Millers senior Brieanne Thurn, the Midwestern League’s co-MVP — to lead North to victory. "Keri started off pitching kind of tight," Binney said of Sevano’s trophy worthy performance Saturday. "She was pressing a little bit. ... But Keri really loosened up and started throwing the ball a lot better (in the fifth inning)." A 20-1 record, 0.61 ERA (0.39 in the postseason) and state title are proof that Sevano is a special talent. But that doesn’t stop opposing hitters and fans from shaking their heads every time Sevano records another out. You see, rare is the occasion that Sevano rears back and fires a pitch past a hitter. Rather, Sevano combines movement, placement, deception, thought and variance of both pitches and speeds to get batters out. She also has supreme confidence in her defense, a unit that was probably the state’s best during the final month of the season. In Saturday’s close-as-can-be defeat of Springfield, the Tornado played error-free defense for the third time in five postseason games (to 14 errors committed by the opposition). What’s more, North makes plays that most teams don’t. Third baseman Corey Whitaker’s knock down, pick up and throw out on a sharp grounder from Anna McLennan to lead off the second inning was one example Saturday. Center fielder Brandi Paxton’s diving scoop of Lindsey Kirshenmann’s fly ball in the fifth was another. First baseman Laura Tarkon’s tag out of Kirshenmann when shortstop Darcy Cordell’s throw pulled Tarkon off the bag in the eighth was yet another Tornado defensive gem. Blend that kind of glovework with Sevano’s pitching, and it almost isn’t fair. Opposing offenses scored two runs in 38 innings — 44 if you count a six-inning first take in the first round against Sunset, which was nullified by rain — against North in the playoffs. Sevano pitched all but two of those innings. "Great run," Binney said. After the aforementioned early struggles, which were partly due to Sevano’s beef with the home-plate umpires calls, Sevano flashed the grit of a champion Saturday. "There was a little frustration (with the calls) behind the plate, but she adjusted to it," said senior catcher Britney Hillyer, who called Sevano’s pitches all season and was a first-team all-Southern Oregon Conference selection for the third straight year largely because of her stellar defense. "We just talked about it — ‘Hit my pitch, hit my spot.’ She figured out this zone and worked hard at doing it." Sevano retired 14 straight Springfield batters from the fourth to the eighth innings and allowed just six base runners in all. All three of her walks came in the first four innings, as did one of the Millers’ three hits. "At the beginning, it was hard to get my footing out (in the pitcher’s circle) ... and it was hard to get back on the rise," said Sevano, who struck out six and said her inside and roll drop to the outside where her most effective pitches Saturday. "And I think I adjusted to that in the latter half of the game." For the SOC player of the year, it was just her latest tutorial in Greg Maddux-like pitching, as she showed yet again that a pitcher doesn’t have to be overpowering to be nearly untouchable. Using substance in place of speed, Sevano made Springfield her latest victim as she pitched North to the top of the Class 4A hill. From that lofty perch, Sevano and the Tornado won’t be blown away for at least a year. And with all but four seniors returning, they may just reach the pinnacle again next spring. This much is for sure — with Sevano pitching this season, North proved to be the best team in Oregon. Now that’s impressive stuff. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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