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Senior pitcher Andi Garnher strikes out the final batter with a drop curve. It was the only time she threw the pitch all game.
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By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com

There’s definitely a confidence that Wootton senior pitcher Andi Garnher brings to the mound.

After splitting time with teammate Christine Oberst last season, Garnher is Wootton’s full-time hurler now.

She started it off right Saturday, tossing a one-hitter in Wootton’s 11-0 victory over Bethesda-Chevy Chase in both teams’ season opener.

“I wasn’t really nervous. I don’t really get nervous,” Garnher said. “I’ve been doing this for a while so I was ready to get on the mound.”

Garnher struck out 10 of the 15 batters she faced in five innings. The lone hit came off the bat of Lia Clearfield with one out in the bottom of the fifth. It was a slow grounder to second base that Clearfield beat out.

“I knew there was a no-hitter going, but I’m not upset they got a hit,” Garnher said. “It happens.”

It’s not like she hasn’t done it before. Garnher said she can’t remember when she threw a no-hitter but was pretty sure she had.

Last season Garnher struck out 67 batters in seven starts. She lost a one-run, nine inning games to eventual 4A state champion Sherwood and 3A state semifinalist Damascus. She beat Richard Montgomery, 3-1.

“She’s had great performances before, but she looks strong this year,” Coach Alton Lightsey said. “She was pretty dominant [today]”

The Patriots, who last season went 14-5 and won their division for the third time in program history but first time since 1989, jumped out to a 6-0 lead before an out was recorded. They walked five times in the first inning and Emma Barlock, Rachel Laufer and Megan Berman each notched RBI hits.

Sara Biron drove in two runs in the second inning before Bethesda-Chevy Chase sharpened up a little bit. But by that point, it was too late for the Barons, who were playing their first game under new head coach Maigan Campbell after going 9-9 last season.

“We definitely want to win divisionals again and we want to win regionals because we’ve never done that before,” Berman said.

“We are not as strong as we were last year just yet,” Lightsey added. “But I think by the end of the season rolls around we’ll be even better than last year.”