Andrean’s Steinbach Ks 15 in front of Ball State coach

Updated: May 28, 2011 12:22AM

Maybe it was the fact Ball State University head coach Craig Nicholson was in the bleachers watching her.

Maybe it was just postseason nerves — although for Andrean pitcher, Nikki Steinbach, that’s a little bit difficult to believe.

Whatever it was that appeared to be bothering the Ball State-bound senior, didn’t last long.

Even after Andrean’s 2-1 win over the Panthers (12-10) in the first game of Friday’s Class 3A Sectional semifinals, Steinbach admitted she had some butterflies.

“I was a little nervous before the game,” she said. “I just didn’t want to let anyone down. My college coach was here watching and that made me nervous.”

After hitting Griffith’s second batter, and walking the third, 59ers catcher Kelly Ryan went to the circle to talk to Steinbach.

“Kelly came up and told me to relax and pitch my game,” Steinbach said.

Steinbach proceeded to do exactly that.

Despite allowing a first-inning run, it was another vintage performance by the 59ers’ star.

She allowed only two hits — one in each of the first two innings — recorded 15 strikeouts and drove in both of her team’s runs with singles.

Her performance lifted the 59ers (21-7) into today’s noon championship game against Kankakee Valley (24-3), which pounded Rensselaer, 11-1, in a game ended in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Andrean coach Henry Ryan loved the performance Steinbach delivered Friday.

“She’s so phenomenal, I think sometimes I take her for granted,” he said. “You see her getting those 12 to 15 strikeouts almost every game and you can get so spoiled. She was under some pressure today with the Ball State coach watching her. I thought she did a great job of hitting her spots and keeping their hitters off-balance.”

Steinbach was pleased with the way she swung the bat, too.

“I haven’t been hitting that much lately, so that was good,” she said.

Andrean left fielder, Cat Murad, who bats second in the lineup after hitting No. 9 earlier this spring, had a triple, a single, a sacrifice, and scored two runs.

“I went into the game not nervous and was confident I could get a hit — and it felt good,” she said. “I don’t really care where I bat in the order, but I feel like I can do more when I’m up higher.”

Griffith coach Ed McLeod was proud of his team’s effort, but disappointed in the loss.

“We thought if we could just put a crooked number up, we’d be alright,” he said. “We knew Alex (Latronica) would pitch her heart out and she did. Our girls fought hard, were focused and ready to play. I’m just proud as heck of these girls. We were right there.”

In the second game, Ashley Dobson allowed five hits and fanned six batters as the Kougars crushed the Bombers (2-21).

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