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Defense lifts Sandwich past Rosary
Updated: May 25, 2011 10:18PM
Defense hasn’t always been a strong suit for the Sandwich softball team in an up-and-down season, but it was Wednesday in the Indians’ 6-3 win over Rosary.
The third-seeded Indians (14-16) committed just one error and avenged a mercy-rule loss to the Royals in the first week of the season. Sandwich moves on to Saturday’s 11 a.m. Yorkville Class 3A Regional title game against the top-seeded hosts. The No. 2 Royals close at 13-16.
“I didn’t feel like I pitched a strong game, but the defense was there to back me up,” said winning pitcher Morgan Murphy, who scattered six hits, walked three batters, hit two and struck out two.
And the highlight?
“Gina’s throwout at home, that was awesome,” Murphy said of the key play by right fielder Gina Lorusso in the bottom of the fifth that helped shut down a potential big inning for Rosary.
Sandwich had added two insurance runs in the top of the fifth to extend a 4-3 lead. Rosary had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom half when Danielle Reder sent a liner to right field.
Lorusso, a sophomore, charged the ball and caught it then launched a one-hop strike to catcher Jordan Kipper who tagged out Ali Keenum, who was trying to score from third to complete a bang-bang double play.
“I was full of nerves and adrenaline totally kicked in,” Lorusso said. “I knew what I had to do. … I’m so glad that it got there and I did my part.”
Kipper, who had a single and scored a run in the Indians’ four-run third that erased an early 2-0 Rosary lead, said the Indians were “out for revenge.”
Of the play at the plate, she added, “That was so scary. I was just focused on catching it.”
Sandwich’s attack was led by Jordan Johnson’s two hits, including a two-run double to highlight that four-run rally. The Indians also took advantage of seven walks issued by losing pitcher Audrey Ruddy.
“We didn’t hit tonight,” Rosary coach John Kazmierczak said. “We played great defense. We only had one error. They made use of their seven baserunners due to walks and they put their hits to good use.
“Everybody’s gonna say that was a momentum swing,” he continued, referring to Lorusso’s fifth-inning play, “But I told Ali, ‘That was my call, don’t hang your head.’ We ran on (Lorusso) earlier in the game and scored on her (on a Brenda Rocha single). It took a perfect throw to get her. I felt like we had to try something.”
Rocha led the Royals with two hits and an RBI and designated player Maddie Merritt drove in a run with a safety squeeze bunt and added a single.
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