Lake Central, Boyle blank Mustangs

Updated: May 24, 2011 10:54PM

HIGHLAND — Lake Central was clinging to a two-run lead and the game was still hanging in the balance when Munster pitcher Carly Murphy threw a low pitch to Nikki Adams.

The Indians first baseman crushed a towering drive high over the center field fence for a three-run homer, helping LC to a 5-0 win over the Mustangs in the second game of Tuesday night’s Class 4A Highland Sectional.

“I’ve been trying to lay off the high ones, I think that one was low,’’ said Adams, who went 2-for-4.

“I told myself I was going to hit it, but I didn’t think I’d hit a home run. I knew it felt good, and it didn’t sting, so that was good.’’

The homer Adams smashed, her fourth this season, might not have stung her hands — on a night when the temperature was dropping quickly — but it definitely stung the Mustangs (20-9) who still had a chance to knock off the Indians (25-5).

Lake Central starter Bridget Boyle (10-2) went five innings, allowed five hits, fanned 10 and walked four to earn the win.

“Bridget did a great job,’’ Sherman said. “She did a good job of keeping them off-balance and getting ahead of their hitters.’’

Boyle not only tried to get ahead of Munster’s hitters, she made a point of remembering what pitches they were having difficulty with and made adjustments each time through the lineup.

“I felt as I was going further on I was getting stronger,’’ said Boyle, who fanned five straight batters between the last out of the third inning and the first out in the fifth frame.

“My rise ball was working good for me,’’ Boyle said.

Freshman Lily Del Toro pitched the final two innings, allowing a hit, while striking out two and walking one.

Most importantly for Boyle, and Del Toro, they left 11 Munster runners stranded.

“We just couldn’t come up with the big hit when we needed it,’’ Mustangs’ coach Beth Thornburg said. “I thought their pitcher (Boyle) did a really good job. Carly pitched a real good game for us, but we didn’t do a good job behind her, defensively.’’

The Mustangs, who managed only six hits and made four errors, including one that helped LC score a run in the first inning on a walk and a sacrifice.

“Defense has been a problem recently for us, it’s contributed to the way we’ve played lately,’’ Thornburg said. “They’re a good team. They put the ball in play with some authority.’’

EC Central, which whipped West Side in the first game, 22-5, meets LC in Thursday night’s second semifinal game, while Highland battles Lowell in the first semifinal contest.

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