Columbia senior Claire Shupe beams as she holds a sign after collecting her 600th career strikeout. Shupe also became the program’s all-time leader in hits. At far left is Columbia athletic director Sjocquelyn Winstead and second from left is Columbia head coach Cliff Smith. At right are coaches Lindsey Clesmere and Jennifer Alves-Filho. (Photo Courtesy of Columbia High School)
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE — Claire Shupe is not only a great pitcher, she is also a phenomenal hitter.
The Columbia High School senior went 3-for-3 and became the program’s all-time leader in hits to lead the Cougars to a 16-4 win over West Essex on Wednesday, May 6, at Underhill Field in a Super Essex Conference game.
Shupe, a Boston University signee, went 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Senior Eva Clevenger went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs, sophomore Jamie Tarrow went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs, and senior Emma Lerner went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Maya Bernstein, sophomore Casey Maguire and senior Lexi Kaplan each had an RBI.
Shupe also was the winning pitcher, striking out eight. She has been the team’s top pitcher since her freshman year.
Shupe then helped the Cougars advance to the Essex County Tournament semifinals. She pitched a five-inning one-hitter with six strikeouts and no walks, and at the plate, went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to lead the second-seeded Cougars to a 10-0 win over seventh-seeded Livingston in the ECT quarterfinals.
Clevenger had three hits, including a double and five RBIs; Bernstein had two singles; and freshman Olivia Ahlberg and Magiure each had a single and an RBI.
The Cougars, who improved to 16-4 on the season, will face third-seeded Caldwell in the ECT semifinals doubleheader on May 15 at Seton Hall University’s Ivy Hill Park at 5 p.m. The other semifinal pits top-seeded Mount St. Dominic against fifth-seeded Nutley. The final is May 16 at Ivy Hill Park.
Shupe has 147 career hits to date.
CHS head coach Cliff Smith had a feeling Shupe would break the hits record when he first saw her as a freshman.
“Claire breaking the hit record is honestly something I thought she would do her freshman year when I saw her hit live the first time,” Smith said. “It’s something that I don’t believe she gets enough credit for, because of how amazing of a pitcher she is and has been during her career at Columbia. Her breaking the record is just another bullet point to add to the long list of amazing things she has accomplished during her four-year career.”
Shupe was grateful for all the support she has received.
“I am so grateful for the support of my team and coach Cliff throughout my career at CHS,” Shupe said. “This has been the best four years, and I am honored to always be a Cougar!”
This season, Shupe and freshman Alison Kelly have shared the pitching duties. Shupe is 10-1 with a 0.45 earned run average. In 77 innings pitched, she has allowed 46 hits and eight walks, while striking out 108.
Shupe also recorded her 600th career strikeout in the 11-1 home win over 15th-seeded Newark Academy in the ECT first round May 2 at Meadowland Park field.
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