Published: May 20, 2008 11:39 pm            

SOFTBALL: Comeback sends NW to sectional title game

Kokomo, Cass also punch tickets to sectional finals.

Northwestern’s softball team rallied from an early four-run deficit to score a 13-5 victory over West Lafayette Tuesday evening at Monticello in the bye game of the Class 3A Twin Lakes Sectional.

West Lafayette stunned the Tigers with a 4-spot in the top of the first inning, but Northwestern had recovered by the third and began chipping away. The Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the third, two in the fourth to take the lead, three in the fifth and five in the sixth.

“They came out and really wanted to play, hitting the ball very well, unlike our game in the regular season,” NW coach Kerrie Kucholick said of West Lafayette, which also lost to the Tigers a week ago. “Once we figured out that they were there to play and we need to step up our game, we did.

“We really came back and did what we need to do. We had a lot of power hitters.”

Kourtney Kohl and Shelby Barnett led the Tiger offensive attack with three runs batted in each. Kohl doubled and blasted a homer while Barnett had a double and a single. K.J. Gingerich had three hits including two doubles, and Natalie Appelhans had a single, a double and two RBI.

Barnett was the winning pitcher, allowing seven hits and four earned runs in seven innings. She struck out six and walked two.

Kucholick stressed how good it was to see her entire squad play well, especially at the plate where the Tigers consistently moved runners.

“As a team, it was just a whole team effort,” she said. “Usually, it’s just a couple of [players who] get some RBI, but as a whole team we did a great job.”

The Tigers face Benton Central at 6 p.m. Thursday for the championship.

Benton Central 10, Western 1

Western’s season came to an abrupt end with a 10-1 loss to Benton Central in the semifinal round of the Class 3A Twin Lakes Sectional.

Benton Central jumped on Western early, scoring four runs in the first, two in the second and three in the third.

“We just weren’t ready for a team that’s as good as they are,” Western coach Jim Clouse said. “They hit the ball better than anybody we’ve played all season. They’re probably the best team we saw this season.”

The BC hitting onslaught chased Western starter Brooke Pingleton and had the Panthers scrambling to contain the Bison bats.

“They hit us hard and we really didn’t have an answer for that,” Clouse said. “We used three different pitchers. One of the bright spots in the game, Katie Daine, our freshman pitcher, pitched the last four innings and gave up one run which wasn’t earned. She didn’t strike anybody out but did a great job of keeping them off balance. She has a really bright future.”

Western’s offense mustered just four hits. Brooke Jackson doubled, while Jenna Dillman, Maeghan Groves and Casey Hattabaugh singled.

“Four seniors that we have this year, they’ve brought this program along to where we are today,” Clouse said of Alisha Davenport, Brittani Snyder, Lindsey Clouse and Morgan Oilar. “All four of them are going on to play college ball. [I] can’t say enough about what they’ve done for our program and I’m going to miss them a lot.”

Western ended the season 15-8.

CLASS 4A

Kokomo 1, Lafayette Jeff 0, 8 innings

Kokomo’s Kate Toney headed to the plate with a chip on her shoulder in the bottom of the eighth inning, and made Lafayette Jeff pay for it with a walk-off single down the left-field line that drove in the game-winning run in the opening round of the Class 4A Harrison Sectional

Three days ago, Maconaquah walked in a run by issuing a free pass to Elizabeth Wagner in order to avoid Wagner and get to Toney, who responded with an RBI double that day. Tuesday, Jeff walked Wagner intentionally and Toney responded again.

“She feels disrespected, and I hope she’s putting a doubt in minds [of opponents] when they want to think about walking Elizabeth with Kate behind her,” Kokomo coach Lisa Tate said. “I’m really proud of Kate for coming through in those clutch situations the way she has.”

Toney finished with two singles. Wagner had a double and a single, and Jennifer Bailey had Kokomo’s only other hit, singling in the eighth and scoring on Toney’s single. Carly Painter was dominant in the circle for the Kats, holding Jeff to just two hits while pitching all eight innings. She fanned 10 batters and didn’t issue a walk.

“I’m really proud of Carly Painter. It has to be probably her best game this season,” Tate said. “This one, without any walks, [that] makes a huge difference. This team, although they didn’t hit the ball a lot, they were very aggressive baserunners. They’re really good at putting the ball in play with slaps and bunts.”

The Kats play for the championship at 7 p.m. Thursday.

CLASS 2A

Sheridan 6, Taylor 5

The Titans put two runners in scoring position with no outs in the bottom of the seventh but couldn’t plate a run to tie the Class 2A Eastern Sectional game. All the Taylor scoring came in the third and fourth innings when Taylor rallied from behind to take a 5-3 lead.

“They went up on us and it was one of those deals where we were right where we wanted to be in the seventh inning,” Taylor coach Brian Weeks said. “Kylie [Weeks] came up, got an infield basehit, Hilary Farmer got a double. We had runners on second and third with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh. That’s where you want to be and we just couldn’t push a run in.

“It was a good game. The girls played really hard. They played a good softball game, we just came up a little short.”

Farmer had a double and a single, and Kylie Weeks and Brooklyn Lemons each had two singles.

Taylor finished the season 7-21.

Cass 2, Southwood 1

The Kings continued their march in their pursuit of another Wabash Sectional title with a narrow win over the Knights.

Pitchers for both teams were on top of their games as Cass’ Amie Sites picked up the win allowing just one run on two hits in a complete-game effort. She fanned four and walked three.

“Amie did a super job pitching,” Cass coach Scott Rouch said. “She was focused and I think she did a great job keeping the ball down. She caused them to hit the ground balls and the pop-ups, and we made the defense make the plays.”

With the score knotted at 1-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Cass freshman Ellie Cain came to the plate and smacked the first offering down the right-field line for a leadoff triple with no outs.

After an out, Peyton Klinkhamer grounded out to the third baseman for the second out and Cain broke for home on the throw to first, then safely slid in ahead of the tag giving the Kings the game-winning run.

Cass will play either Wabash or North Miami at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday for the title.

CLASS A

S. Wells 10, Tri-Central 0, 5 inn.

Southern Wells scored a run in the bottom of the first inning of the Wes-Del Sectional semifinal, then exploded for five in the bottom of the third to take control. Southern Wells’ outburst in the third came on just two hits, and five TC errors.

The Trjoans were shorthanded in the semifinal, taking only 10 players to Gaston due to the absence of six starters on the school’s senior trip to Washington D.C. and New York. Six freshmen suited up for the Trojans.

“I’m proud of the girls, they did the best they could being put in this position,” TC coach Lindsey Sorensen said. “They’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. They stayed with the game and didn’t quit. They showed a lot of class in a tough situation.”

Southern Wells pitcher Cristin Carter held TC to two hits. Christa Rich had a double for the Trojans and pitcher Adreanne Cates, who took the loss, had a single.

        

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