Swing shift

LOWELL -- After wrapping up an outstanding collegiate career at the University of Maine, Sara Jewett wasn't ready to relegate her bat and glove to the closet and close the door on her softball career. But even with a resume full of accolades -- two-time regional All-American, four-time America East all-conference selection, 2000 America East Player of the Year -- the Haverhill native had few playing options.

She took a job as an assistant coach at St. John's University in New York and acknowledged that her playing days were probably over. But then the former Haverhill High star's career got a jump-start from the Stratford Brakettes, a Connecticut-based elite amateur softball team that counts Olympians Dot Richardson and Lisa Fernandez among its distinguished alumni. The Brakettes, winners of 25 amateur national titles, are the Amateur Softball Association's answer to the New York Yankees.

''I had pretty much come to grips with the fact that competitive softball could be over for me," said Jewett, who joined the renowned team in 2001. ''I always knew the Brakettes would be a major steppingstone to something, I just didn't know what."

Jewett, who spent three seasons with the Brakettes, got her answer this spring when she was selected to play for the New England Riptide of the National Pro Fastpitch women's softball league. The six-team league is a retooled version of the Women's Professional Softball League, which suspended play in 2000 after four-plus seasons. The 25-year-old catcher/outfielder is living her dream with the Lowell-based franchise, which plays about a half-hour drive from her hometown at Martin Field.

''It's kind of a pinch-me-is this-happening thing," said Jewett's father, Ed, who is a fixture at Riptide games along with his wife, Wendy.

Being a recognizable local name, Jewett was a natural for New England. ''That was the number one reason that I went after them first and I think that was one of the reasons they came after me -- they expressed interest in just drawing local people with a local player," said Jewett, who e-mailed Riptide co-owners Joe and Lauri Adlman as soon as she heard about the team.

She is one of three players with Massachusetts roots on the Riptide roster. While Joe Adlman admitted geography was a factor in forming the team, he made it clear it was not the deciding factor for Jewett or the other Bay Staters, Lyndsey Angus of Leominster and Meaghan Young of Shrewsbury

''We felt it might be necessary to have two or three local players and we looked at a lot. But if they couldn't make the grade they weren't going to come," said Adlman.

Jewett, who is UMaine's career leader in home runs, RBIs, runs scored, stolen bases and triples, has proven that she belongs in the pros. After 22 games, she led the Riptide in hitting, was tied for the lead in home runs, and second in RBI after 22 games. Off the field she has taken a large role in promoting the team, serving as a good-will ambassador for the franchise and the league.

''It's flattering first of all to know that so many people will see this team and just see me. I'm accepting of the responsibility of it," said Jewett. ''A lot of times if I'm in a slump and somebody wants an interview I'm like, 'No, you don't want to talk to me. I'm not doing so well.' But that's not the point. The point is bringing softball to this area.

''I was excited to have a home team in Massachusetts for selfish reasons, but also because I know softball is big here and it's growing. I'll do anything to bring softball to the next level in Massachusetts because that's where I started."

Ed Jewett, who nurtured his daughter's softball career by taking her to see the US Olympic team and top level college teams, said Sara relates to the little girls who clamor onto the field after games -- win or lose -- in search of autographs.

''She's been through the process and she looks at all the little girls who come to the games and says, 'It's possible. It could be you here one day,"' said Ed.

The fledgling fast pitch league is hoping to draw more of those girls and their parents to its games. The league stated that its aim is to draw 1,500 fans per game. There were about 400 in the stands for the Riptide's game against the archrival New York/New Jersey Juggernaut last Friday. Jewett acknowledges that some fans have been slow to come around to NPF and its style of play. Thus far the league has been pitching dominated. (Seventeen pitchers in the league entered this week with earned run averages below 2.00.)

''I think in terms of fan support it would help if it were a more offensive game because offense is just by nature more exciting and fan-friendly than defense," said Jewett, the Riptide's leading hitter with a .205 average. ''But I think if we can get more people to be genuine softball fans who respect and understand the nature of the game then they'll realize it's more like soccer. It's not a high-scoring game."

Jewett is hoping the league will eventually develop into an organization more like Major League Baseball with more teams, more players, and more player movement. Although the compensation she receives for playing in the league is not great -- Joe Adlman said the league has a minimum salary of $2,400 and top players make $10-12,000 -- Jewett, who will turn 26 in August, said she plans to play as long as she can.

''Whenever I get frustrated and I'm struggling to pay bills I have to stop and remember why I'm doing it," she said. ''I can start a career at 30. I can't play at this level when I'm 30."

Jewett's father said money is not his daughter's motivation.

''At this level she's not playing for the money," said Ed Jewett. ''She's playing for the love of the game and to spread that love."