Niners nix Glads’ upset bid

Updated: May 31, 2011 10:23PM

MERRILLVILLE — Following the conclusion of the Andrean Regional, both teams went to their respected dugouts and celebrated to an extent. But without knowing thee final score, it would have been hard to determine Andrean was on the winning side of a 1-0 regional title game, the 59ers’ fifth straight crown.

Gavit (13-8) was the heavy underdog coming in, but played up to its competition’s level all game long, while Andrean (23-7) played somewhat disinterested at times, not resembling a team that has a shot at winning state. The 59ers’ bats were dormant, though they had four doubles in the game. But none of the hits produced an RBI against sophomore pitcher Elysia Alamillo.

Alamillo kept Andrean’s bats off balance with slow pitches that moved all around the strike zone. She finished with three strikeouts while averaging only four batters per inning.

Fortunately for the 59ers, they had ace Nicole Steinbach on the mound and she was her usual dominant self as she threw a complete-game one-hitter while striking out 17 Gladiators.

Steinbach gave up a single to Erika Ramirez in the fifth inning that could have been caught by the right fielder to keep the no-hitter intact.

“It was a frustrating game for us, but it’s a win,” said Steinbach. “I couldn’t do anything to help our team with the bat, so I took my frustration out with my pitching.”

Gavit came into the game with one junior starter and the rest of the starting lineup for head coach Lisa Mendoza made up of sophomores and freshmen. Last year the two teams also met in the regional with Andrean winning 16-6.

So the big smile and excitement that beamed from Mendoza’s face was justified as her green squad gave Andrean all it could handle.

“I am so proud of this team,” Mendoza said. “I’ve been coaching for nine years and this is a team that I will never forget.

“We had a great defensive game and normally we break down in one inning, but today we didn’t have that.”

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