Lady Wildcats win two games at Twin Lakes Invitational before heartbreaker in the 7th inning to McCutcheon, 4-3

A USA-365 special report by Mark Smith

5-11-2004

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
HANOVER CENTRAL (16-6)	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	6	3
No. 7 (4A) McCutcheon (21-5)	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	4	7	2

May 8, 2004, 78 degrees, sunny - Twin Lake Invitational in Monticello, IN

LP - Amanda Wendlinger (11-3) CG 14, 7K, 0 walks
WP - Amy Bowman (11-5) CG, 5K, 5 walks

Sara Ritter (Mc) Double, 2 RBIs
Alicia Garza (Mc) Sac. Fly, single, RBI

Rachel Williams (HC) Single, walk
Heather Rebeneck (HC) Triple, RBI
Trisha Sheehy (HC) Single,walk
Bess Copak (HC) 2 singles, RBI

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
No. 4 (2A) Lewis Cass (12-2)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	6	3
HANOVER CENTRAL (16-5)	2	0	2	0	0	0	-	4	6	1

May 8, 2004, 78 degrees, sunny - Twin Lake Invitational in Monticello, IN

WP - Amanda Wendlinger (11-2) CG 13, 7K, 0 walks
LP - Ollmay Wilson (6-1) CG, 5K, 3 walks

Ollmay Wilson (Cass) Triple, single, run scored
Heather Rebeneck (HC) Triple, RBI
Trisha Sheehy (HC) 2 singles, walk
Bess Copak (HC) 2 singles, RBI

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
No. 9 (1A) Pioneer (8-6)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4
HANOVER CENTRAL (15-5)	0	1	3	0	0	0	-	4	4	0

May 7, 2004, 55 degrees, cloudy - Twin Lake Invitational in Monticello, IN

WP - Amanda Wendlinger (10-2) CG 12K, 1 walk
LP - Jenny Williams (5-2) CG, 5K, 1 walk

Kelly Lapota (HC) 2 singles, 2 RBIs
Shannon Phillips (HC) 2 singles

MONTICELLO (5-8-2004) - The tournament had been a little dull up until the time that Hanover Central met McCutcheon. The 16-team state class Twin Lakes Softball Invitational had seen some close games but no real drama. McCutcheon's 4-3 victory over the Lady Cats will long be remembered by those who saw it. And those who didn't will hear a lot of different stories.

One thing will be agreed on. Unfortunately for Hanover Central, the entire Twin Lakes Invitational swung on one play. And fortunately for Hanover, their season did not turn on a play moments later. The team that eventually won, sixth-ranked McCutcheon, was down 3-1 in the final inning on the final pool play game when they got a break.

A ground ball right back to Hanover Central star Amanda Wendlinger seemed certain to be the first out of the inning. The obvious play was at first base, but that would let the tying runs advance into scoring position. Wendlinger turned and threw to third but the toss went high above the head of HC's infielder Andria Trock, allowing the 3-2 run to score and putting runners at second and third base with nobody out.

After an intentional walk filled the bases, the tying run attempted to score on a would-be wild pitch. But sophomore catcher Jill Sjoerdsma retrieved the ball at the screen and flipped it to Wendlinger, who was undercut at home plate by the charging Maverick baserunner Eliza Scanlon. The HC junior, who had double knee surgery in the off-season, suddenly was laid out on the ground as the small crowd which had made the 75-mile trip to watch the Lady Cats fell silent.

Hanover people whispered to McCutcheon followers that Wendlinger was six months removed from a major knee operation and the suddenly rowdy Maverick followers suddenly became less loud.

After about two minutes on the ground, Amanda lifted herself off the dusty McCutcheon junior varsity diamond and wobbled back to the pitchers' circle. HC coach Larry McMillan chose to walk McCutcheon leadoff man Tiffany Dinsmore (.403) to fill the bases for sophomore Sara Ritter (.338). With county batting leader Alicia Garza (.546) in the on deck circle, Ritter, a left-handed hitter, sliced the first pitch deep into left center field and onto a blacktopped basketball court that borders the Twin Lakes JV diamond. That is a ground rule double and the two base hit scored the winning runs.

"She's a solid hitter," said Bates. "She's got a lot of big hits for us."

McCutcheon coach Jim Bates made controversy in the sixth inning and a controversial move in the top of the seventh.
All pool play games at the Twin Lakes Invitational are played with a 75-minute time limit. But any inning that has begun must be completed. Bates knew that time was running out and acted accordingly, even in the top of the sixth inning. He came out for a discussion with pitcher Amy Bowman with two out, a runner at first and the Mavericks leading 1-0. Bowman, a three-year varsity senior, probably didn't need much advice at that point. In the bottom of the sixth, McCutcheon batters stepped out of the batters box after several pitches, even though Alicia Garza did swing at the first pitch and grounded out.

At one point, HC's McMillen yelled at the umpire to "Get that girl in the batter's box."

After the game, Bates, while not admitting he was stalling, smiled and said, "It should have been over in the sixth."
When Wendlinger got Alexis Newby to pop up and caught it herself, the Twin Lakes public address announcer broadcast, "We'll go to the seventh inning." The Hanover backers cheered.

The Twin Lakes officials later admitted that the end of the inning came 40 seconds before the time limit expired. More than one person from Cedar Lake called the stalling 'bad sportsmanship' and the Hanover fans were celebrating moments later when secret weapon pinch hitter Heather Rebeneck laced an RBI double to right-center field to tie the game in the top of the seventh.

After intentional walks to Trisha Sheehy and Rachel Williams, Rebeneck became a double hero when she collided with McCutcheon catcher Heather Han and scored the 2-1 run. As the ball rolled away from Han, Sheehy kept coming and scored the 3-1 run on the same play.

Bowman (11-5), who was 14-0 last season, walked Bess Copak to refill the bases but struck out Kelly Lapota and got Christie Wick to ground out to send the game to the bottom of the seventh.

Then, McCutcheon, which has 49 wins in 57 games, mounted the game-winning rally after a single by Lara Brickey and a walk to Eliza Scanlon.

Hanover blitzed perennial 1A power Pioneer 4-0 Friday night as Wendlinger pitched a two-hit shutout and struck out 12. Against Lewis Cass (12-3), the school that eliminated Hanover 2-0 in the 2002 Twin Lakes Regional, Copak's RBI single sparked a two-run first inning and Rebeneck lined a triple to right center in a two-run fourth. Cass entered the tournament undefeated and lost three times.

The wins by HC were the first two for Hanover over ranked teams this season and ran their winning streak to 11 games in a row. Though HC did not qualify for the semifinals for the fifth consecutive season, the strong play against three perennial state powers indicates that Hanover can return to the state finals. There's nobody in 2A better than McCutcheon and few 2A teams are better than Lewis Cass.

The loss to McCutcheon that prevented Hanover (16-6) from winning their pool and moving to the semifinals was not the worst thing that could happen to them.

The Lady Cats were looking at two more games in 80-degree weather and Wendlinger was questionable. To win twice and walk away with a last inning one run loss to the tournament champion was the best case scenario other that winning the entire tourney.

"I thought we'd win the first two games," Sheehy said. "We knew the third game would be tough."

"I don't think anybody thought we'd win two in a row," said Bess Copak. "Much less come close to McCutcheon."

LADY CAT NOTES: Amanda Wendlinger was OK Monday after her collision at home plate in the seventh inning against McCutcheon. The right-handed pitcher was ready to go Tuesday (May 11) in the final PCC regular season game against Washington Township.

Many games will be challenged by rain, which is forecast for every day this week.

Undefeated junior Marie Badylak (10-0) blanked Merrillville 4-0 and senior Amy Bowman (13-5) blanked Eastern 3-0 in the finals game, McCutcheon's 10th consecutive victory. Hanover's 4-0 shutout of Pioneer was the Lady Cats' 10th shutout of the season. Junior Amanda Wendlinger has eight and junior Kelly Lapota has the other two. Wendlinger (11-3) and Lapota (5-3), who allowed just four hits and a walk against Griffith, are as good a duo as there is returning next season in northwest Indiana, short of Andrean aces Lori Knopf (13-2) and Katie Ivancich (10-1).

Sophomore Heather Rebeneck has come off the bench to spark HC in selected hitting roles as she did in 2003. Rebeneck, a 5-9 back-up catcher with a big swing, not only put HC on the doorstep of victory with the two-run triple against McCutcheon, she had a double, triple and four RBIs against Griffith in the 10-0 win on May 4.

"Heather is our secret weapon," said Trisha Sheehy.

Lake and Porter County teams, after playing in 40 and 50-degree weather all season, were welcomed by 75-80-degree temperatures Saturday in Monticello. Many will tell you about how many games softball girls can play in one day but three games in summer weather wears most of them down.

McCutcheon coach Jim Bates walked left-handed hitters Trisha Sheehy and Rachel Williams to fill the bases with the score 1-1 in the seventh and bring up Wendlinger, HC's No. 3 hitter. The move blew up, but only after Wendlinger's ground ball to third baseman Lara Brickey and Brickey's throw home created a collision between catcher Heather Han and HC's Heather Rebeneck. Rebeneck scored and, when the ball got away, Sheehy scored from second base.

"I just wanted to fill the bases," Bates said later. "I wanted to take the bunt away. I didn't think he'd squeeze but I thought he would safety squeeze. We got what we wanted, we just couldn't make the play. Second and third base, there's just too many things that could happen. "

Hanover Central is on line to play 28 games. HC also counts the Twin Lakes Invitational as their tournament, assuming they will play three games in the single-elimination Porter County Conference (PCC) tournament.

The state tournament draw will be released on Wednesday, May 12.

Twin Lakes Invitational champions
2004: McCutcheon beat (Howard Co.) Eastern 3-0 in final game
2003: Finals were rained out
2002: ANDREAN beat Jefferson 1-0 in the final game
2001: Jefferson beat ANDREAN 7-0 in the finals
2000: Twin Lakes beat ANDREAN 10-0 in the title game
1999: ANDREAN beat Twin Lakes 2-0 in an 8-inning title game
1998: Jefferson beat ANDREAN 3-2 in the title game

2004 HANOVER CENTRAL (16-6, 6-0 PCC)
Larry McMillen 25-8 in 2003, 24-5 in 2002, 116-27-1 (last 5 years)

4-1-4 (W) 13-3 (5 innings) River Forest (8-9)
4-2-4 (L) 5-6 at Chesterton (18-4)
4-3-4 (L) 0-5 Munster (16-2)
4-10 (L) 1-3 at Bishop Noll (12-11)
4-14 (W) 10-0 at MORGAN TOWNSHIP (8-10)
4-13 (W) 13-0 (5) North Newton (2-12)
4-17 (W) 9-0 HEBRON (14-4)
4-19 (W) 2-1 (8 inn.) Wheeler (12-10)
4-21 (L) 1-4 Lowell (10-6)
4-22 (L) 1-5 at (Ill.) Beecher, Ill. (23-2)
4-24 (W) 11-0 (5)at LaCROSSE (4-10)
4-26 (W) 7-4 at Clark (2-10-2)
4-28 (W) 6-0 at Morton (13-9)
4-29 (W) 4-0 South Newton (6-9)
4-30 (W) 3-0 KOUTS (4-10)
5-3 (W) 15-3 (5) Rensselaer (4-12)
5-4 (W) 1-0 SOUTH CENTRAL (15-3)

5-5 (W) 10-0 Griffith (12-11)
5-6 (W) 8-0 BOONE GROVE (6-16)

Twin Lakes Invitational (in Monticello)
5-7-4 (W) 4-0 Pioneer (8-8)
5-8-4 (W) 4-1 Lewis Cass (12-3)
5-8-4 (L) 3-4 McCutcheon (22-5)

5-11-4 (Tu) WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (5-10)

Porter County Conference (PCC) Tournament
Saturday games at LaCrosse
5-14-4 (F) at Boone Grove (6-16) 4:30 p.m.
5-15-4 (S) vs. WT (5-10) or LaCrosse (3-12) - 11 a.m.
5-15-4 (S) Championship (3 p.m.)

5-19-4 (W) at Gavit (5-15) 4:30 p.m.
5-21-4 (F) at Whiting (15-3) 5 p.m.

Wheeler (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.