Jackie Johnson was a little shaky to start Saturday, but the senior right-hander settled in nicely as Livonia Stevenson repeated as champion of the Strike Out Breast Cancer girls softball tourney held at Ford Field.
The Spartans spotted rival Livonia Churchill a 1-0 first-inning lead, but answered with a 3-run fourth inning to earn the victory and improve to 16-11 on the season.
Johnson allowed just five hits, walked just one and struck out six.
Churchill (18-11) tallied its lone run in the first inning on an RBI singled by Nicole Salloum.
But Johnson slammed the door shut the rest of the way with six scoreless innings.
“Her confidence level was pretty low at the start of the game, which I don't understand why,'' Stevenson coach Rob Witherspoon said. “But when her confidence goes up, all the sudden you see her ball moving and she starts honing in - it's nice to watch. We're going to need that confidence level at the top if we're going to continue.''
In the fourth inning, Churchill failed to haul in a short blooper just over second base and Morgan Copperstone later made them pay for the mistake with a 2-run single.
“It's something we work on every day in practice - the in-between balls between the outfield and infield,'' Churchill first-year Steve Gentilia said of the error. “It was a little bit of a miscommunication. The ball took a quick dive. The wind held it up there for a little bit, then gave up and fell. Those things happen. It's part of the game. We've got to pick that up and move after it.''
Alex Ferguson followed with an RBI groundout to give Stevenson a two-run cushion.
“The tale of one inning was the story of the game,'' Gentilia said.
Churchill pitcher Natalie Hiser gave up just six hits, walked only one and struck out five in also going all seven.
Rachel Jason and Salloum each had two hits for the Chargers, while Sarah Fier also had two for the Spartans.
On Wednesday, Stevenson lost two close games to host South Lyon East, 2-0 and 4-2, which cost the Spartans the KLAA Central Division title.
“Closing games has been our problem this year,'' Witherspoon said. “A lot of has to do with that we're so young. That's been our thing the last two weeks. We have to seal the deal. We've got to make the sale and close the game. We're starting to learn how to do that. As soon as we do that consistently, we're not going to be a bad team.''
Churchill, meanwhile, didn't get much traffic going in the bases.
“We put the ball on the bat a few times well, but every time we came up to bat the wind started swirling a little bit, picking up and held up our fly balls a bit,'' Gentilia said. “She's a good pitcher - Jackie Johnson. She controlled the tempo of the game out on the mound today and kept our hitters off balance.
“We've got to learn to attack the ball better in the batter's box and not be so timid in there and be a little more aggressive. And we're there. We left five runners on base and they left six, so it was a pretty even game all the way around.''
CHURCHILL 2, FRANKLIN 0:Natalie Hiser pitched a three-hit shutout Saturday as Livonia Churchill (18-10) turned back Livonia Franklin (16-13) in the first semifinal of the Strike Out Breast Cancer Tourney at Ford Field.
Hiser struck out five and did not allow a walk in outdueling Franklin junior Tiffany Lamble (9-8), who was making her first appearance in 10 days after being sidelined with a sore arm, also struck out five and walked only one in throwing a three-hitter herself.
“Hiser pitched well,'' Franklin coach Linda Jimenez said. “She did not get behind and threw first-pitch strikes.''
Churchill tallied both of its runs in the fifth inning as Casey Bias and Missy Sidor both singled and later scored on a Franklin bobble and throwing error.
STEVENSON 11, CLARENCEVILLE 0:Morgan Copperstone was the story in the second semifinal of the Strike Out Breast Cancer Tourney Saturday at Ford Field.
The sophomore pitcher allowed just one hit, struck out seven and walked only two in the five-inning mercy as the Spartans (15-11) downed Livonia Clarenceville (8-8).
Copperstone also starred on offense collecting three hits and knocking in four runs. Sarah King also added two hits.
Lauren Katz had the lone hit for the Trojans and starter Stephanie Bishop, who allowed eight hits, took the loss.
Clarenceville also committed three errors.
FRANKLIN 15, CLARENCEVILLE 0:Maggie Leins had two hits, scored twice and had three RBI as Livonia Franklin (17-13) won consolation game Saturday in four innings against visiting Livonia Clarenceville (8-9).
Afton DeWyse added a 2-run double, while Chelsea Williams chipped in with two singles, an RBI and scored three runs.
Tiffany Lamble (10-8) allowed just one hit, a walk and struck out one.
Justine Bateman, who gave up 11 hits and 10 walks in four innings, took the loss.
The Spartans spotted rival Livonia Churchill a 1-0 first-inning lead, but answered with a 3-run fourth inning to earn the victory and improve to 16-11 on the season.
Johnson allowed just five hits, walked just one and struck out six.
Churchill (18-11) tallied its lone run in the first inning on an RBI singled by Nicole Salloum.
But Johnson slammed the door shut the rest of the way with six scoreless innings.
“Her confidence level was pretty low at the start of the game, which I don't understand why,'' Stevenson coach Rob Witherspoon said. “But when her confidence goes up, all the sudden you see her ball moving and she starts honing in - it's nice to watch. We're going to need that confidence level at the top if we're going to continue.''
In the fourth inning, Churchill failed to haul in a short blooper just over second base and Morgan Copperstone later made them pay for the mistake with a 2-run single.
“It's something we work on every day in practice - the in-between balls between the outfield and infield,'' Churchill first-year Steve Gentilia said of the error. “It was a little bit of a miscommunication. The ball took a quick dive. The wind held it up there for a little bit, then gave up and fell. Those things happen. It's part of the game. We've got to pick that up and move after it.''
Alex Ferguson followed with an RBI groundout to give Stevenson a two-run cushion.
“The tale of one inning was the story of the game,'' Gentilia said.
Churchill pitcher Natalie Hiser gave up just six hits, walked only one and struck out five in also going all seven.
Rachel Jason and Salloum each had two hits for the Chargers, while Sarah Fier also had two for the Spartans.
On Wednesday, Stevenson lost two close games to host South Lyon East, 2-0 and 4-2, which cost the Spartans the KLAA Central Division title.
“Closing games has been our problem this year,'' Witherspoon said. “A lot of has to do with that we're so young. That's been our thing the last two weeks. We have to seal the deal. We've got to make the sale and close the game. We're starting to learn how to do that. As soon as we do that consistently, we're not going to be a bad team.''
Churchill, meanwhile, didn't get much traffic going in the bases.
“We put the ball on the bat a few times well, but every time we came up to bat the wind started swirling a little bit, picking up and held up our fly balls a bit,'' Gentilia said. “She's a good pitcher - Jackie Johnson. She controlled the tempo of the game out on the mound today and kept our hitters off balance.
“We've got to learn to attack the ball better in the batter's box and not be so timid in there and be a little more aggressive. And we're there. We left five runners on base and they left six, so it was a pretty even game all the way around.''
CHURCHILL 2, FRANKLIN 0:Natalie Hiser pitched a three-hit shutout Saturday as Livonia Churchill (18-10) turned back Livonia Franklin (16-13) in the first semifinal of the Strike Out Breast Cancer Tourney at Ford Field.
Hiser struck out five and did not allow a walk in outdueling Franklin junior Tiffany Lamble (9-8), who was making her first appearance in 10 days after being sidelined with a sore arm, also struck out five and walked only one in throwing a three-hitter herself.
“Hiser pitched well,'' Franklin coach Linda Jimenez said. “She did not get behind and threw first-pitch strikes.''
Churchill tallied both of its runs in the fifth inning as Casey Bias and Missy Sidor both singled and later scored on a Franklin bobble and throwing error.
STEVENSON 11, CLARENCEVILLE 0:Morgan Copperstone was the story in the second semifinal of the Strike Out Breast Cancer Tourney Saturday at Ford Field.
The sophomore pitcher allowed just one hit, struck out seven and walked only two in the five-inning mercy as the Spartans (15-11) downed Livonia Clarenceville (8-8).
Copperstone also starred on offense collecting three hits and knocking in four runs. Sarah King also added two hits.
Lauren Katz had the lone hit for the Trojans and starter Stephanie Bishop, who allowed eight hits, took the loss.
Clarenceville also committed three errors.
FRANKLIN 15, CLARENCEVILLE 0:Maggie Leins had two hits, scored twice and had three RBI as Livonia Franklin (17-13) won consolation game Saturday in four innings against visiting Livonia Clarenceville (8-9).
Afton DeWyse added a 2-run double, while Chelsea Williams chipped in with two singles, an RBI and scored three runs.
Tiffany Lamble (10-8) allowed just one hit, a walk and struck out one.
Justine Bateman, who gave up 11 hits and 10 walks in four innings, took the loss.
No comments:
Post a Comment