Alexander Bolsters Hornets' Prospects

Three weeks before the start of her senior season, Megan Alexander took stock of the softball program at Covenant Life, the small, parochial school in Gaithersburg she had attended throughout high school, and made a startling realization.

"At the end of February," Alexander said, "it was like, 'Whoa, we've got six players? We're not going to make it.' "

So Alexander and her father, Duane, also the coach at Covenant Life, considered her options. She could have waited to see if the school attracted more players, or she could try the public school a mile down the road from where they live -- Damascus.

After meeting with Hornets Coach Barb King, and constructing an independent study course to allow her to graduate this June, Alexander enrolled in February, and Damascus is thrilled with its new pitcher. She threw a three-hitter and struck out 12 to lead the Hornets to a 3-0 home victory over Sherwood in a nonleague matchup of Montgomery County's lone undefeated teams.

"Everyone knows Damascus is a softball powerhouse," said Alexander, who added that she used to come watch the Hornets' home games frequently. "It's always a softball player's dream to play here."

With Alexander in the Damascus pitching circle, it's now a dream to play behind her.

"I was really excited about it," said senior shortstop Taylor Wyatt, who had played against Alexander in youth leagues. "When we get into the state tournament, you get teams with pitching that's always ahead of us.

"She's going to help get us ready."

Damascus (9-0) gave Alexander all the support she needed in the first inning. Stephanie Hudlow led off and reached on an error, and after advancing to third on a groundout, scored on a Wyatt single. Wyatt moved to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball, and then scored on a groundout by Katie Denell.

Two innings later, Cassie Clayborne reached on a one-out bunt single and error, and scored on a groundout by Wyatt.

Alexander, meantime, struck out all but one of the Warriors to face her, and threw 71 of her 95 pitches for strikes. Sherwood (8-1) mounted a rally in the seventh inning on hits by Erin McMakin and Kristin Holonich, but Alexander ended the game with a strikeout.

Damascus 3, Sherwood 0 Family Business: Damascus senior pitcher Megan Alexander will play next year at Bowie State, where her sister Kelley is a junior infielder. Get Used to Them: Both Damascus and Sherwood have appeared in the state semifinals in each of the past two years, and could represent the 3A West and 4A West, respectively, again this season.