Park Center starting pitcher Jill Rosby is in her fourth varsity season, but the senior encountered an on-field first when the Pirates played at Northwest Suburban Conference rival Irondale on a blustery and cold Tuesday afternoon.

“I don’t think I’ve ever played softball in the snow before, so it was a new experience,” Rosby said. 

While the small flakes danced in the wind during the game, they never piled up. The same couldn’t be said for Rosby’s strikeouts. She sent 11 Knights back to the bench after a third strike to lead Park Center past Irondale 1-0.

Rosby gave up three hits and walked only one batter in her complete game shutout, her second of the season. She shut out Coon Rapids 3-0 on April 15, and boasts a 4-2 record with 34 strikeouts through six games.

She also drove in the game-winning run in the top of the sixth inning, to seal a victory in a game Pirates coach Steve Ericson said should have been postponed.

“These are tough conditions, we shouldn’t be playing ball in this weather,” he said.

However, Rosby said the weather conditions contributed to her dominance in the pitcher’s circle. 

“It helped a lot with my movement of my pitches and everything, because (the wind) was going with some of my pitches,” Rosby said. 

While it was obvious prior to the first pitch that the wind and the snow would impact the game, no one figured it would benefit the pitchers - including Rosby, who said her biggest concern was gripping the cold ball.  

That concern fell by the wayside by the time Rosby faced the Knights’ second batter. After issuing a leadoff walk, Rosby was almost flawless as she kept Irondale off the base paths in four of the seven innings. 

Knights senior pitcher Maggie Schley nearly matched her counterpart’s performance. Schley gave up one run on four hits while striking out five and walking one in seven innings. 

Rosby’s outing was impressive but not her best of the season, Ericson said. Her top performance came in a 1-0 loss to Anoka in the season opener, which was scoreless until the seventh inning when the senior gave up the winning run, he added. 

The game against Irondale (4-3, 1-3) was scoreless heading the sixth inning as both teams struggled to crack the scoring code. The Pirates (4-2, 4-2), however, found the cipher thanks to Rosby.

Junior second baseman Morgan Sherva kicked off the inning with a walk and moved to third base on a fielder’s choice. With two outs, Rosby stepped to the plate and sent a pitch up the middle to score Sherva. 

It was a clutch hit for Rosby, who was hitless in her prior at-bats - a bit of an anomaly for a player who went 3-for-4 with two RBI in a 6-2 victory over Osseo one day earlier.

Ericson said Rosby, who is the reigning two-time team Most Valuable Player and this season’s frontrunner for the award, leads with her play, not her voice.

“She’s not a vocal leader,” he said. “She’s a very quiet leader…when it’s time to be the star, that’s when she steps up.”

With Rosby leading the way, Park Center could be in line for several more significant feats, such as a return to the state tournament. The Pirates won Class 2A state titles in 2010 and 2011, but they haven’t been back since and now play in Class 3A.  

Ericson is confident his team will have success as long as Rosby continues performing at a high level.

“As (Rosby) goes, we go, and I’m not hiding any fact,” he said. “I think she’s scared that this is her last year - I really do - and she’s leaving nothing other than out it on the field.”

Park Center's Jill Rosby drove in the game-winning run and struck out 11 batters in pitching a complete game shutout as the Pirates edged Northwest Suburban rival Irondale 1-0 on a blustery Tuesday afternoon at Irondale High School.

The senior’s two-out line drive up the middle in the sixth inning scored junior second baseman Morgan Sherva from third, giving Park Center (4-2, 4-2) all the run support it needed.

Rosby then returned the the pitcher’s circle and stifled the Knights’ offense for the final two innings to earn the victory. She only allowed three hits with one walk in the game, spearheading a Pirates’ defensive effort that kept Irondale from advancing runners beyond second base.

Senior Maggie Schley took the loss after giving up the lone run on four hits. She struck out five and walked one in seven innings for the Knights (4-3, 1-3).

Conference play continues on April 22 for both squads as Park Center travels to Spring Lake Park and Irondale hosts Anoka.

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