Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Johnson blanks Indians in grueling sectional duel
AL LESAR
Tribune Staff Writer
LAKEVILLE -- Perfection for 82/3 innings wasn't nearly good enough for Culver Girls Academy pitcher Holly Johnson against St. Joseph's Monday night in the opener of the Class 3-A softball sectional at Newton Park.
Eight innings later, Johnson was, remarkably, still battling with a shutout. By then, though, her team had finally provided some support and the Eagles advanced with a 1-0, 17-inning victory over the Indians (10-14).
Culver Girls Academy (17-6) advanced to tonight's 5 o'clock semifinal game against Marian (23-5), a 7-1 winner over Plymouth (10-17) later Monday night. The second contest tonight features Knox against defending champ New Prairie.
- Culver Girls Academy 1, St. Joseph's 0: Johnson struck out 30
of the 55 batters she faced, including the first seven. She yielded
five hits and didn't walk a batter. No Indian reached base until two
were out in the ninth inning, mowing down the first 26 batters.
"My rise, screw, curve -- they were all working," said the junior lefty Johnson, who was in the shadow of ace Jackie Lawrence last year. "It was frustrating to have a perfect game so long and then lose it, but it was more important to get the win.""She was 'on' today," CGA coach Jen Mascari understated the obvious of Johnson's performance. "Every pitch she tried to throw worked."
St. Joe pitcher Shelby Dzierla wasn't as dominating, but was equally as effective. She gave up six hits, whiffed 13 and put up 16 zeroes before the fateful inning.
Kylie Hermanson led off the CGA 17th with a single. A sacrifice got her to second when the confusion began.
About 3 1/2 hours into the game, two ambulances and other rescue vehicles arrived with lights and sirens blazing to tend to an ill Marian fan. While the hustle was bustling, Megan Hicks hit a line drive back to Dzierla. The ball popped in, then out, of her mitt. She threw accurately but hard to first, and Mo Healy couldn't hang onto it. The ball trickled away and Hermanson scored."It was a great game," St. Joe coach Earl Keith said. "Both teams had their chances. Our kids had fun. It was a tough way to end."
St. Joe wasn't without its great plays. The most impressive was a crucial diving catch by freshman right fielder Amanda Chamblee on a sinking line drive with a runner at third and one out in the 15th. After she made the catch, Chamblee fired a strike to third to get the double play.
"Amanda's fearless," Keith said. "She'll go and get anything."
CGA 1, ST. JOSEPH'S 0
Holly Johnson (W) and Megan Hicks; Shelby Dzierla (L) and Nicole Osowski.CGA 000 000 000 000 000 01 - 1 6 0 SJ 000 000 000 000 000 00 - 0 5 4
2B: Tess Strang (CGA).
Umpires: P - Anne Griffith, B - Brent Beeber.
- Marian 7, Plymouth 1: Marian scored its first two runs of the
game when Plymouth shortstop Olivia Keilman dropped a routine popup
with two outs and the bases loaded.The Knights' third run scored after
a throwing error by Pilgrim first baseman Elizabeth Smith. Ashleigh
Bousquet and Ashlee Smith put the icing on the cake with back-to-back
two-run doubles in the sixth.
Jessica Centa gave Plymouth some early life with a first-inning home run.
"Both teams started slowly," Marian coach George Grenert said. "We started about two hours late. I think sitting around (waiting for the first game to end) had an impact on both teams."
"We were too generous today," Plymouth coach Ed Kelso said. "If someone hits a grand slam against us, that doesn't bother me. But when we give them three runs, that hurts. Those two errors changed the whole complexion of the game."
Besides three hits and two RBIs, Bousquet made one great play on a foul popup at third base and narrowly missed another."Ashleigh plays hard, whatever she does," Grenert said. "She's a great kid."
- MARIAN 7, PLYMOUTH 0
Plymouth 100 000 0-1 5 2 Marian 002 104 x-7 9 1
Sarah Atkins (L), Ashleah Wheat (6) and Jessica Centa; Kelly Murray (W) and Erin Grundy.2B: Ashleigh Bousquet (M) 2, Bryttenny Gaines (P), Ashlee Smith (M).
HR: Jessica Centa (P)
Umpires: P - Brent Beeber, B - Anne Griffith.