Andrean capitalizes on wild pitches to beat Lady Wildcats 5-3 at Twin Lakes

A USA-365 special report by Mark Smith

5-03-2008

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
ANDREAN (10-5)	2	1	0	0	0	1	1	5	8	2
HANOVER CENTRAL (13-4)	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	0

Friday, May 2, 2008 - Pool play at Twin Lakes Invitational, high winds and cloudy in MONTICELLO, IN

WP - Nicole Derezinski (4-2) CG, 11K, 2 walks
LP - Kelsey Jankowski (7-1) 4K, 1 walk (3 innings)

ANDREAN (10-5) starters
Kari Sims (CF) 3-for-4, triple, double, 2 runs scored
Sammy Serrato (2B) 1-for-3, walk
Audrey Bickel (SS) 0-for-4
Alyssa Mosely (LF) 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
Meg Hutton (RF) 2-for-3
Kelly Ryan (DP) 0-for-2, walk
Julie Hoolehan (C) 0-for-2, sac bunt
Kylie Temple (3B) 0-for-3
Kelleigh McCrea (1B) 1-for-2, double, walk

HANOVER (13-4) starters
Kara Gilbert (SS) 1-for-4, RBI
Morgan Austgen (CF) 0-for-4
Kelsey Jankowski (1B-P) 2-for-4
Jessica Toth (P-1B) 0-for-2, walk
Tiffany Gibson (RF) 2-for-3
Lindsay Thompson (2B) 0-for-3
Shannon Kiraly (3B) 0-for-2, walk
Alisha Janes (LF) 0-for-3
Anna Plassmann (DP) 1-for-3, triple, run scored

MONTICELLO, IN (5-02-2008) - It wasn't quite what some of us expected, but it was a well-played game between Hanover Central and Andrean on opening night at the 16-team 2008 Twin Lakes Invitational down by Indiana Beach.

High winds made it hard on players and fans alike, but the first meeting of the Lady Cats and 59ers still produced a close, spirited game, albeit one that was seen by very few in one of the secondary fields at Voight Park, two blocks from the main Twin Lakes softball stadium. After a wild first two innings, it was two wild pitches that broke a 3-3 tie. Andrean scored single runs on runaway tosses in the sixth and seventh to give the 59ers a 5-3 win over Class 2A No. 2 Hanover Central.

"Frank would have been proud today," said Andrean coach Russ Serrato, referring to former coach Frank Podkul, who coached many of the same 59ers to the 2007 state title. "Things got a little tight there (in the third inning). I had to get on them a little and chew them out a little. But Nikky (Nicole Derezinski) came back and struck the next three batters out. To get out of that inning was big."

Hanover (13-4) had tied a surprisingly high scoring game on second inning hits by senior Anna Plassmann and junior Kara Gilbert. In the third, base hits by Kelsey Jankowski and Tiffany Gibson plus a wild pitch put runners at second and third with one out. But Derezinski (4-2), who missed the entire 2007 season with an arm injury, struck out Lindsay Thompson and Shannon Kiraly to end the inning and Hanover did not get a runner beyond first base for the rest of the night.

The game between the two Lake County powers (HC was the 2004 state 2A champ, Andrean won state titles in 1998 and 2007) that last met in the 2003 sectional championship game was well-played, including a Hanover crisis in the top of the fifth when starting pitcher Jessica Toth, who was bothered by a foot injury, left the game after walking Andrean's No. 2 hitter Samantha Serrato, to start the inning. HC coach Larry McMillen replaced Toth with Jankowski, who struck out the 3-4-5 hitters in the 59er order.

But a walk, a sacrifice bunt, a ground out and a wild pitch gave the 59ers (10-5) a 4-3 lead in the sixth. Kari Sims' triple and another wild pitch upped the lead to 5-3 in the seventh.

"She did a great job in the fifth," said McMillen of Jankowski. "But she tried a couple of drop balls there that didn't work with runners at third. Jessica's been hurting most of the season. We're going to have to get her to the doctor to check her out again."

Coach Serrato had never seen Hanover play and was impressed with them.

"In their class," he said, "I think you're looking at a state finals team there. I really do. They played very well and it was an even game. We're starting to get some games in and we're playing better."

Hardly anyone mentions the fact that Derezinski had an injured throwing arm last year and couldn't pitch.

"I told Nicole I wanted to see her pitch in back-to-back games," said Serrato, "and she was great. The umpire said her curve was really moving. There are no worries there."

McMillen was resigned to playing the remainder of the tourney for experience. To advance to the semifinals in the Twin Lakes Invitational, you almost always must win all three games in your four-team pool, because somebody usually does.

"I dont see them losing to Eastern," said McMillen of the 59ers. "So that means we're done down here. We've got some girls leaving (for college exams) so we'll let some other girls play."

NOTES: Andrean lost left fielder Allison Emmett for the season Thursday with a broken leg she suffered sliding into second base.

"We hope to win this tournament for her," said Serrato. "We dedicated this win to her."

HC coach Larry McMillen said he wouldn't mind having Andrean on the regular schedule, although he said it might not always be an even match.

"It would be a good game for the next couple of years because we'll be strong," he said.

HC catcher Danielle Sampagnaro threw out Andrean's Audrey Bickel trying to steal in the sixth on a call that was contested by the 59er bench. Sampagnaro, a senior who is key to any post-season success the Lady Cats may have, has been nursing a sore throwing arm, but you wouldn't know it, watching her throw the ball around during games.

"During warmups, it hurts bad," she says. "But once the game starts, it feels a lot better. I've got to ice my knees though."

Lowell's game with Western and HC's game with Andrean took place in the setting sun at Voight Park, a public park two blocks from Twin Lakes high school that very much resembles Hanover's Cedar Lake softball complex.

Defending tournament champion McCutcheon (20-2) reached the 20-win level again with a 13-5 win over Lewis Cass Friday at Twin Lakes high school. Harrison (12-5) defeated 1A No. 4 Frontier 7-3 in another pool play game.

2A Hanover Central (12-3)
Coach Larry McMillen (17th year) 20-10
PCC games in CAPS - weekday games start at 4:30 p.m. - unless otherwise indicated

(W)12-2 at Chesterton (7-4)

Queen of Diamonds Tourney - at LaVille
(W) 15-0 Clinton Prairie
(W) 11-0 Maconaquah
(W) 10-1 Mishawaka Marian (14-2) finals

(W) 14-1 at LaCROSSE
(W) 7-1 at MORGAN TOWNSHIP
(L) 1-6 Munster (13-5)
(W) 3-2 (9 inn.) Lowell (11-6)
(L) 3-4 at Beecher, Ill (17-4)

Four Class Tourney
4-19 (rain) Andrean
4-19 (rain) CP
4-19 (rain) South Central

(W) 2-1 (8 innings) Wheeler (12-3)
(W) 5-0 HEBRON (11-4)
(W) 11-0 (6 inn.) South Newton
(W) 5-0 KOUTS

(W) 13-1 (5 inn.) Rensselaer (0-16)
(W) 10-0 (5 inn.) SOUTH CENTRAL (7-7)
(L) 2-3 (8 inn.) BOONE GROVE (12-2)

Twin Lakes Invitational
16 teams - pool play - at Monticello, Indiana
May 2 (L) 3-5 Andrean (10-3)
May 3 (Sa) Eastern
May 3 (Sa) Jefferson (3-12)

May 6 (Tu) WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP

PCC championship
8 teams - single-elimination - at LaCrosse

5-9 (F) quarterfinals vs Hebron (11-4) 5 p.m.
5-10 (S) Semifinals - a.m.
5-10 (S) Championship - p.m.
5-16 (F) at Whiting - 5 p.m.

Bishop Noll (2A) Sectional
5-21 (W) semifinals
5-23 (F) championship
LaVille (2A Regional
5-30 (S) semifinals - a.m.
5-30 (S) championship - p.m.