Gardner and Co. rake in another

Sandburg's Brittany Gardner has a supreme respect for Stagg's hitters.

Maybe the Chargers would be better off if she didn't.

Maybe then she wouldn't pitch against them like it was the biggest game of her life.

The sophomore left-hander came up clutch in every big situation for the No. 1 Eagles on Wednesday, blanking No. 6 Stagg 2-0 in a SouthWest Suburban Blue battle in Orland Park.

Gardner allowed seven hits, but stranded all seven baserunners. She had nine strikeouts, as opposed to no walks.

On April 23, Gardner struck out 15 Chargers while walking none and firing a two-hitter in a 1-0 victory.

You can't be more dominant. Gardner also couldn't have been more humble in the aftermath of the sweep.

"Ohhhh, we knew this was going to be a good game, just like the last time," she said. "They are all really good hitters. I had to make sure that my pitches were working. They kept hitting my changeup, so I had to stop using that. They're just all great hitters."

When it mattered, though, Gardner was the greater pitcher.

In the first, Julie Sherman stroked a two-out double, but was left there when Gardner got Jackie Roth on a flyout to left field.

In the second, Liz Payonk singled with two outs, but she also was stalled at second base when Gardner struck out Brittany Martinez.

The biggest chance to score for Stagg (17-6, 6-4) came in the sixth, when with one out Emily Cikowski and Sherman had back-to-back singles. But Gardner again came up huge, getting both Roth and Carli Raisutis to pop out.

"I used my riseball," Gardner said. "I wasn't really nervous. I had confidence in my catcher (Erin Cotter) being able to call pitches she thinks are going to work, in my fielders being able to field the ball, and in my pitching to help get it done."

Sandburg (25-1, 10-1) scored both of its runs in the bottom of the third against Stagg starter Tricia Klutcharch.

Morgan Biel started the rally with a leadoff single, went to second on a sacrifice by Laura Christensen and to third when Taylor Dixon reached on an error. With Brittany Wolski at the plate, Dixon took off for second. As she made contact with second baseman Sherman, the throw from catcher Raisutis sailed into center field. Biel scored, while Dixon advanced to third base.

An appeal by Stagg coach Jen Tyrrell for an interference call was denied by the umpires.

"We did have contact, but as I was running to second she wasn't in the basepath and then at the last second she jumped in front to get the ball," Dixon said. "I didn't see the ball when it went out (into center field)."

Dixon scored when Wolski reached on another Stagg error.

Tyrrell pulled Klutcharch after the third inning and put in Ashley Yaros, who blanked Sandburg the rest of the way on one hit.