By By Tim Cottrell
Over the last several years, no-hitters have become rare in baseball.
For instance, the 1991 Major League Baseball season featured seven no-hitters, whereas the 2004 season had only one.
Events over the last three weeks at Northview High School have shown that perhaps big-league general managers are looking to the wrong gender.
Northview senior Cassie Godwin has pitched three no-hitters in a span of 13 days. The first came April 5, in a 5-0 win over West Florida Tech, the second came seven days later in a 17-0 laugher over Woodham, and the final no-hitter came Monday night in East Brewton during a 22-0 win over W.S. Neal.
Godwin, who recently signed a scholarship to play at Pensacola Junior College, was understandably pleased with her recent play.
"It's great," Godwin said. "I don't think I had ever had a no-hitter before this, and now I have three."
Godwin will play outfield in college, which is her preferred position, but she is not above playing out of position to help the team.
"I'll play anywhere my team needs me," she said. "I do whatever it takes to win, because I hate losing."
Lady Chief coach Sammy Day said Godwin was not exaggerating.
"She never fusses at all," Day said. "Anywhere I put her she doesn't say a word. She's been our starting pitcher for two years now, and I know she would rather play outfield, but she does what's best for the team. I could put her anywhere out there and she would play it well. She's our captain and I picked her from day one. She's just an athlete."
Despite physical gifts, Godwin works hard to maintain her game.
"I've worked very hard to get where I am," she said. "I stay after practice a lot to work on hitting."
"She works hard," Day interjected.
Godwin, who is 6-5 as the starting pitcher for the Lady Chiefs (11-6) this season, has been hampered by poor run support during the first few games of the season. However, the Lady Chiefs have won eight of their last nine games and she sees no reason for the run to stop.
"I don't think we'll lose again," Godwin said. "We're playing well right now and playing at home (in the district tournament) won't hurt. We're playing more as a team now and interacting more, no one's out for themselves."
Day could not find enough good words to say about his star player.
"She's like one of my own daughters," he said. "I coached her dad on my state championship baseball team (a 1982 state championship at Ernest Ward High School). I've known her a long time. She's one of only two girls I've had in my time here who have started from day one. I let her pitch a game in a tournament in Dothan and she's been starting ever since. It wasn't just her pitching; it was her hitting, too.
"She always says 'yes sir' or 'no sir'," Day continued. "That makes it real easy to coach her. She loves the game and she's going to be tough to replace."
Godwin was grateful for all the blessings softball has brought to her life.
"It's been very important to me," she said. "It's kept my grades up, and paid for college. I love playing, and everyone knows me as a softball player."