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Indians finish in style
Updated: May 31, 2011 10:16PM
CROWN POINT — Lake Central coach Jeff Sherman talked to his team before the game about the importance of getting ahead early as the road team in the postseason.
The Indians definitely listened.
Lake Central scored three runs in the top of the first inning and went on to capture a second straight Class 4A Regional title — and the 12th in the school’s history — with a 4-1 win over Crown Point (18-9) Tuesday.
The Indians (28-5) will meet Penn (22-5) in the first game of the Lafayette Harrison Semistate Saturday (10 a.m., region time).
“Getting three in the first was huge,’’ Sherman said.
Crown Point starting pitcher Rachael Centanni walked Kayla Bishton to start the game. Sam Terry then reached on an infield hit that fell just over Centanni’s head, but well in front of CP shortstop Jessica Palm and second baseman Raeanna Jenks.
Nikki Adams followed with a drive to left field that Courtney Holm came in too fast on, and dropped, loading the bases.
Kaitlyn Ranieri delivered an RBI single, before Jess Haskins rapped a two-run single.
“The first inning was pretty big,’’ Haskins said. “We needed to come out and jump on them pretty quick. I was pumped, because I told everyone in my class to be here today.’’
What about her clutch, two-out, two-run single she had in the inning?
“I swung and it happened, and it was pretty cool,’’ Haskins shrugged.
Crown Point tried to match LC’s first-inning magic — loading the bases in the first thanks to an Indians’ error and an infield hit — but could only score once — on a sacrifice fly by Ally Rock, which made it 3-1.
“They came out with a few punches and we didn’t have as many punches as they did,’’ CP coach Brett Crutchfield said. “Three (runs) in the first, that’s huge. That’s the game.’’
After LC starter Bridget Boyle walked Holm to load the bases again, the Indians’ pitcher fanned Amanda Rock and Emily Zarate to escape further damage.
Crown Point let Boyle off the ropes again in the bottom of the fourth inning. After she retired the first two hitters, the Bulldogs loaded the bases against her following an error, a hit and a walk.
Crutchfield then sent Kendall Mores to the plate to pinch-hit for Palm, but Mores ended up being called out on strikes after a tough at-bat.
“We didn’t cash in on the opportunities when we had them,’’ Crutchfield said. “We just came up a little short. You have to give them credit. They got off the bus hitting and put three on the board. We just didn’t answer back (with as many).’’
Boyle allowed three hits, walked three and fanned five in four innings, earning her 12th win in 14 decisions.
“I thought Bridget did a good job of working out of jams today,’’ Sherman said. “She did a good job of making big pitches in big situations.’’
Freshman Lily Del Toro pitched the final three innings and was as dominant as she was in a 7-0 win over CP, May 3. Del Toro sat down nine of the 10 batters she faced — fanning five, including four looking, while striking out the side in the seventh.
“When I was warming up, I felt like all my pitches were working,’’ Del Toro said. “That prepared me to go in and close it out. It feels good when my pitches are working and I have good spin.’’
Adams, who hits a lot of line drives, drove in an insurance run in the top of the seventh to make it 4-1.
“She was giving me a lot of pitches to hit, so I just swung and hit them,’’ Adams said. “I’m just confident in my swing. I just hope the pitcher gives me a good pitch to hit because if she does, I’m going to hit it.’’
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