Player Spotlight: Ella Dowd

Working the mound in an intense game with the bleachers filled and your teammates in the dugout watching your every move can be stressful and extremely distracting for some. However, that’s not the case with Junior Varsity softball player Ella Dowd. Ella keeps a cool head as she pitches, and with the confidence of the Perry defense on her back, she’s able to blow the ball by opponents.

And she did just that on Aug. 22 in Perry’s game versus Northside. Ella threw a no-hitter against the Eagles, winning 15-0.

“I didn’t even realize it at first,” Ella said, commenting on the game. “Really it wasn’t all me, it was the defense’s effort.”

Ella, as a pitcher, relies heavily on her teammates, for them to keep their eye on the ball and to catch the outs.

“I’m not always perfect, but I’ve been on teams where the defense wasn’t all there, with long innings, so I’m super thankful for the Perry defense behind me because they really did all the work in that game,” she said.

On the mound, Ella has had experiences with defenses that were and weren’t the most supportive, however, her love for the game never wavered for 12 years.

“I got into it when I was younger, I played T-ball and never wanted to quit playing,” she said. “It’s a really fun sport, I’ve played it my whole life, it’s very energetic and I just like it.”

For Ella, softball is more than just a mound and a plate.

“It’s a special game for me because of the memories I’ve made,” she said. “I’ve also made good friends on travel ball teams, and it’s just a good environment to be in.”

Ella Dowd is an exceptional player on the diamond, and with the Lady Panthers at her back, she excels. With a 3.7 ERA and 16 career strikeouts, she’s a bright player and her coaches and fans alike can’t wait to see her grow on the field.

HHJ News