Girls H.S. Softball: Lake Central 4, Crown Point 1 (Regional Championship)

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 - 78-degrees, 4A Regional Championship at CROWN POINT, IN

WP - Bridget Boyle (7-2) 5K, 3 walks (4 inn.)
SAVE - Lily Del Toro (CP) 5K 1 walk
LP - Rachel Centanni (6-3) 4K, 3 walks, CG

LAKE CENTRAL (28-5)
Kayla Bishton (RF) 0-for-3, walk
Megahn Carly (LF) 0-for-3
Sam Terry (C) 2-for-4, double, 2 runs scored
Nikki Adams 2-for-3, run scored
Katelyn Ranieri (CF)1-for-3, RBI
Morgan Moseley (3B) 1-for-3, double
Jess Hoskins (SS) 1-for-3, 2 RBIs
Adriana Probaski (2B) 0-for-3

CROWN POINT (18-9)
Allison Amodeo (RF) 1-for-3, RBI
Jessica Palm (SS)1-for-3
RaeAnna Jenks (2B)1-for-4
Ally Rock (C) 0-for-3, RBI
Courtney Holm (RF) 0-for-3
Emily Zarate (1B) 0-for-3
Tori Connelly (DH) 0-for-3
Amanda Rock (3B) 0-for-2
Gabrielle Raspopovich (CF) 1-for-2

CROWN POINT (05-31-2011) When a team scores three runs in the first inning of a playoff softball game, that team should win. Softball, at an advanced level, still isn't a high scoring sport. So Lake Central's 4-1 win over Crown Point in last week's regional championship game was not a surprise. LC (28-5), which scored three in the first, had already defeated the Lady Bulldogs twice during the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) season.

LC, the DAC champ moved on to the semistate for the second year in a row while CP, which made a bold three-game sweep through Class 4A Sectional 2 after an up-and-down season, went away for the summer, largely with good feelings.

But with one swing, it could all have been different. With LC leading 3-1 in the fourth, CP loaded the bases for pinch hitter Kendall Mores who hit a line drive down the third base line.

"If that ball's fair," said CP coach Brett Crutchfield later, "all three runs score. And it's a different game."

It was a game where both sides wished they'd played better. An error led to a two-run single by LC's Jess Haskins in the first inning. LC right-hander Bridget Boyle walked three and gave up four hits in four innings and left lucky to be the winning pitcher.

But LC acted like they expected to win, even on the road in front of about 200 fans.

"This is where we were last season," said LC coach Jeff Sherman, referring to the regional title game. "We hope to go further. Bridget did a good job of getting big outs and then Lily took over at the end."

Lily is LC freshman Lily DelToro, who struck out five in the last three innings after Mores just missed a three-run double. The 5-foot-10 right-hander is clearly the future of the LC pitching staff. In fact, she probably would have been starting every playoff game if she was not a freshman.

"Lily did a great job when she shut them out (CP) before," said Sherman. "She's pitched a few shutouts already. The situation does not bother her."

CP didn't have a good chance in the final three innings after leaving seven runners on base against Boyle in the first four innings.

"We had out chances," said Crutchfield. "We just didn't get the hits when we needed them. I'm proud of our girls. I thought we battled them evenly. After the first inning, Rachel (Centanni) did a great job."

REGIONAL NOTES: Lake Central, which defeated Penn 7-6 in March, defeated Penn 7-5 in the Harrison Semistate semifinals last Saturday in West Lafayette. LC then lost 2-0 to Carmel in the semistate championship game. LC had previously lost to No. 1 Carmel in April. LC finished the season 14-1 against DAC teams, losing only to Portage.

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
LAKE CENTRAL (28-5)	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	7	2
CROWN POINT (18-9)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	2

Lake Central defeats Lady Bulldogs 4-1 at Crown Point Regional