Bowen saves day for Basic

Zack Hall

Thursday, March 30, 2000 | 10:15 a.m.

Basic softball pitcher Jen Bowen said that before Wednesday's game against Bishop Gorman she felt she could dominate.

Bowen both started and closed the Wolves' 9-6 win over the Gaels at the Las Vegas Academy.

Bowen pitched the first four innings before yielding to reliever Amber Miller in the fifth. After Miller ran into trouble in the fifth and sixth, Bowen -- who was still in the game as a designated hitter -- came back to close out the sixth and seventh innings.

"We didn't plan it that way but push came to shove so we had to put her back in," said Basic coach Bart Black. "It's nice (to have a pitcher that can come in at any time)."

In all Bowen, pitched six innings, surrendering one run on three hits. In addition, the Wolves star went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.

"I felt great (coming into the game with Gorman)," Bowen said. "I thought we were going to take over Gorman. They didn't seem like they really wanted to play the game and we were ready."

Basic (9-3) jumped on the Gaels in the third inning. Gorman (2-5) starter Bri Ulivarri walked Beatrice Gonzalez and Bowen to lead the inning off. The Wolves capitalized with four straight singles that knocked in five runs, giving Basic a 5-0 lead.

"Everybody contributed," said Black. "We've played four close games in a row. The three before this were one-run games, all of them. It was the same way in those. It wasn't always a hit but we got a big play when we needed one."