Lady Wildcats drop games, 5-1 to Beecher and 4-1 to Lowell

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

4-23-2004

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
HANOVER CENTRAL (5-5)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	5	1
Beecher, IL (15-2)	0	1	3	1	0	0	-	5	10	2

April 22-2004 - 48 degrees, cloudy in Beecher, IL

WP - Jalyn Shearer (7-0) CG, 4K, 0 walks
LP - Kelly Lapota (2-3) CG, 3K, 1 walk

Kelly McPherson (B) Double, 2 singles, stolen base
Rachel Krabbe (B) 2 singles, stolen base
Michelle Biucic (B) 2 doubles, walk, 2 RBIs
Linda Johnson (B) Single, RBI
Kelly Lapota (HC) 2 singles
Amanda Wendlinger (HC) Single, RBI

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
LOWELL (6-3)	1	0	0	0	0	2	1	4	6	2
HANOVER CENTRAL (5-4)	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	6	2

April 21, 2004, 54 degrees, sunny in Cedar Lake

WP - Cristin Just (4-1) CG No. 4, 7K, 3 walks
LP - Amanda Wendlinger (4-2) CG No. 1 6Ks, 2 walks, 3 earned runs

Nicole Johnson (L) Double, run scored

BEECHER, IL (4-21-2004) - Hanover Central lost to Lowell and Beecher on consecutive days in 2003 and they still reached the Class 2A state finals. That doesn't make it a good habit.

Hanover looked weak offensively and shaky on defense on consecutive days, losing 4-1 to Lowell Wednesday and following it up with a 5-1 loss in Beecher, Ill. Thursday night.

No panic is necessary because of losses to these two foes. Lowell (6-3) is vastly underrated in Lake County (some mistakenly have Class 1A Whiting ranked ahead of Lowell) but that truth will be told later. Beecher (15-2) is the top-ranked small school in the Chicago metropolitan area and has won 38 of their last 43 games. But Hanover Central (5-5) seems to be waiting to turn it on later. The team does not seem disheartened by a .500 record. Maybe they should be.

"They're going to be upset with me," coach Larry McMillan predicted before he boarded the bus for a post-game talk. "But I've stopped caring about that. We're just not playing."

On a cold Thursday across the state line, Hanover's defense let them down. Michelle Biocic doubled to left and scored on a one-out single to right by Linda Johnson against Hanover starting pitcher Kelly LaPota. In the third inning, a bunt single by Krista McPherson and a slap single by Rachel Kraabe put two runners on with nobody out. Beecher's Jill Jacobson, the third of three left-handed hitters at the top of the Bobcats' lineup, sliced a hard smash at HC third baseman Andria Trock, who could not stop it, allowing the 2-0 run to score.

Next batter Jennifer Becker hit a pop-up into short left field. No one broke hard from their position to catch it and it fell just off the infield dirt, filling the bases. Biucic drove a two-run double to the right field corner to make it 4-0. If the previous two defensive plays are made, only one run scores.

Hanover scored in the fourth inning but even that was flawed. Trisha Sheehy dropped a bunt single and Rachel Williams bunted her to second base. Bess Copak hit a hard ground ball to the left of McPherson, the Beecher shortstop, who dived and missed the ball.

Sheehy turned and headed back to second base when McPherson dived. Seeing the ball go into center field, Sheehy reversed herself and tried to get to third, but she was thrown out by Beecher centerfielder Jill Jacobsen.

"We've just got run the bases a bit better," said McMillen. "In order to get her out once she dives, she's got to jump to her feet and throw over the top of her. And with the play in front of her (McPherson), she isn't even going to try to throw to third. If she catches the ball she'd make the play in front of her. We got one run on four hits."

Lapota followed Sheehy's out with a swinging bunt single and Amanda Wendlinger lined an RBI single to right field for HC's only run.

Beecher, which has lost two games by scores of 1-0, got a double from McPherson and a single from Jacobsen to make the score 5-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Hanover is still having great trouble getting offensive production after the 3-4-5 hitters Copak, Lapota and Wendlinger. HC batters in the 6-9 slots were 0-for-11 Thursday against a right-hander Jalyn Shearer (7-0) who was effective but not overpowering.

Wednesday's loss to Lowell was a similar game. The Red Devils scored in the top of the first inning and held on behind hard-throwing right-hander Cristin Just, who allowed just six singles and three walks in seven innings.

Hanover's Amanda Wendlinger struck out nine and walked none but HC never led. In the Lady Cats past three games, they totaled four runs in 22 innings.

Hanover needs a significant win over a big rival or a highly rated opponent. The 5-5 record is unacceptable for a team with this ability. There is virtually no practice time in the next few weeks and there needs to be a sense of urgency soon.

McMillan notes, "The season isn't that long."

LADY CAT NOTES: The only losses for Beecher have been to Grant Park, another small town north of Kankakee, and Downers Grove South, a giant suburban Chicago school. Beecher beat Hanover 4-1 last year and finished 23-3. Illinois has only two classes of teams, A and AA. Beccher's nickname is the Bobcats and, as Hanover does, they also refer to themselves as the Lady Cats.

The combined record of the five teams to beat Hanover, Noll (5-5), Lowell (6-3), Chesterton (12-2), Portage (10-2-1) and Beecher (15-2) is 48-14-1.

Amanda Wendlinger batted fifth as the designated hitter and did not play the field.

Hanover has not received their three pool play games in the May 7-8 Twin Lakes Invitational in Monticello. The Lady Cats' schedule reaches a peak next week (May 3-8) with at least seven, and possibly nine games, in only six days.

2004 HANOVER CENTRAL (5-5, 3-0 PCC)
Coach: Larry McMillen, 25-8 in 2003, 24-5 in 2002, 116-27-1 (last 5 years)
All games at 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise indicated

4-1-4 (W) 13-3 (5 innings) River Forest (5-5)
4-2-4 (L) 5-6 at Chesterton (9-2)
4-3-4 (L) 0-5 Munster (7-2)
4-10 (L) 1-3 at Bishop Noll (5-5)
4-14 (W) 10-0 at MORGAN TOWNSHIP (3-4)
4-13 (W) 9-0 North Newton (2-6)
4-17 (W) 9-0 HEBRON (7-2)
4-19 (W) 2-1 (8 inn.) Wheeler (7-4)
4-21 (L) 1-4 Lowell (6-3)
4-22 (L) 1-5 at Beecher, Ill. (15-2)

4-24-4 (S) at LaCROSSE (4-5) 11 a.m.
4-28-4 (W) at Morton (8-4)
4-29-4 (Th) South Newton
4-30-4 (F) KOUTS

5-1-4 (S) at Crown Point (2-7) 10 a.m.
5-3-4 (M) Rensselaer - 5 p.m.
5-4-4 (Tu) SOUTH CENTRAL (7-2) 5 p.m.
5-5-4 (W) Griffith (7-5) 4:30 p.m.
5-6-4 (Th) BOONE GROVE (3-9)

Twin Lakes Invitational (in Monticello)
5-7-4 (F) 1st round game - 6:30 or 8 p.m.
5-8-4 (S) 2nd and 3rd round games (a.m.)

5-11-4 (Tu) WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP

Porter County Conference (PCC) Tournament
5-14-4 (F) quarterfinals
5-15-4 (S)   semifinals (a.m.)
5-15-4 (S)   championship (p.m.)

5-19-4 (W) at Gavit
5-21-4 (F) at Whiting (8-0) 5 p.m.

Lake Station (2A) Sectional
5-24-4 (Tu) quarterfinals
5-28-4 (F)   semifinals
5-29-4 (S) championship

LaVille (2A) Sectional
6-5-4 (S)   semifinals
6-5-4 (S) championship

State 2A Finals
6-11-4 (F)   semifinals at North Central - 6:30 p.m.
6-12-4 (S) 2A State championship at Carmel - 1 p.m.