Softball: Oilers end Lakewood's hopes early

FULTON -- You can't measure the Mel Dumezich factor just by watching her pitch.

Sure, she has a blazing fastball and a few off speed numbers that make her impossible to hit.

The "other" parts of her game include power, speed and well frankly, just sheer intimidation.

Her whole presence changes the tenor of the game.

Ask Lakewoood Park Christian.

With just a little help from Dumezich, Whiting (32-0) stood Lakewood on its head and pummeled away Saturday to win 9-0 the championship game of the Class A Caston Regional. Next up for the Oilers is a final four date at Hamilton Souteastern against either Frontier or Wes-Del.

Dumezich took the Panthers out of the game mentally in the first inning in two ways.

She made a heads up throw to home plate and catcher Adi Cruz, catching Holly Weaver trying to steal. That out ended the inning.

Lakewood knew its only chance to win was to play agressive and hope for an early run or two against Dumezich.

They were hoping to catch the Oilers napping after Weaver slapped one into left field for a double to lead off the inning.

"We wanted to try to make something happen," Lakewood coach David Carnahan said.

Dumezich was in extra heightened sensory mode for this game.

The Panthers beat them last year 1-0 in the opening game of the same regional.

"We were really pumped up," Dumezich said. "This was revenge."

After she snuffed out the rally, Dumezich came up and drilled one over the wall in center field on a 2-0 count.

Meek this home run was not. It cut through a pretty hard wind that was basically blowing out to right field.

In the next two innings, the Dumezich factor was even more telling.

Lakewood appeared torn about whether to pitch to her or not.

In the second with two on and one out, Chelsea Heibel got her to two strikes before Carnahan yelled to Heibel to pitch her outside.

Two pitches later, Heibel threw one about 40 feet and Whiting scored its second run on a wild pitch.

In the fourth, Lakewood tried to pitch around Dumezich. They really did.

But she leaned over and put her bat across the plate and bunted on a 2-0 count.

The ball was fielded cleanly but Heibel, who threw it over the first baseman's head and Natalie Mendez scored from second.

Dumezich bunted because she could.

"I just hate to walk," she said.