Richards’ Tobin no-hits Hyde Park

Updated: May 24, 2011 8:30PM

For its first 28 games, Richards beat every team that crossed its path.

Either stars or role players, they did whatever was necessary. The team’s power trinity of Brianna LeBeau, Hannah Jenkins and Kailie Tobin answered the call. “We’ve had great team chemistry the whole year,” LeBeau said.

Then for two games every bounce or flare that previously went their way suddenly didn’t and the Bulldogs lost two consecutive games. It was not the direction they wanted to be heading in with the state tournament looming.

“Sometimes after you lose, you can learn things about yourself and what you need to do to get better,” Tobin said. “When you start the playoffs, to go in undefeated, that would put a lot more pressure and expectations on you.”

The top seed in the Class 4A Morton Sectional, the Bulldogs pounded out 21 hits and rode Tobin’s no-hitter to a 20-0 shutout of Hyde Park in a Class 4A De La Salle Regional semifinal at Maria Tuesday afternoon.

The Bulldogs advance to play the winner of Wednesday’s De La Salle-Morton game for the regional championship Saturday. 

Antioch pitcher Olivia Duehr ended the Bulldogs’ magical run in a 3-1, eight-inning victory in the Steel City Shootout Saturday. “We just didn’t hit that game,” Jenkins said. On Monday, the Bulldogs committed seven errors and lost 8-1 to Lincoln-Way West in a makeup game.

“We didn’t have any fire that game,” Richards coach Julie Folliard said.  “Today I saw the energy, the commitment that we had most of the year.”

Tobin put on a stunning all-around display. She struck out 12 and allowed just one base runner, a walk to open the third, of the 16 batters she faced. She ran her record to 7-0. She was also spectacular at the plate, going 4-of-5 with two doubles, a triple and a home run and three RBI.

Jenkins complemented her by driving in six runs on a perfect 3-for-3. Her grand slam highlighted a seven-run, seven-hit third inning. The Bulldogs (29-2) scored 16 runs in the second and third innings combined. LeBeau, who’s 22-2 on the year in the circle, added two hits and two runs.

Junior Chelsea Williams took the loss for the Thunderbirds (14-2).

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