Lady Red Devils take 2-1 win from HC Wildcats

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

4-23-2003 in Lowell - sunny, 50 degrees

WP - Cristin Just (2-3) 11K, 1 walk, CG No. 2
LP - Amanda Wendlinger (6-2) 13K, 0 walks CG No. 7

HANOVER CENTRAL (1 single, 1 walk)
Rachel Williams (HC) Single, walk

LOWELL (4 singles, 4 stolen bases)
Liz Martin (LOWELL) 2 bunt singles, stolen base
Amy Shelhart (LOWELL) Single, stolen base
Cristin Just (LOWELL) Single, bunt

LOWELL (4-23-2003) -- In the last 4 1/2 softball seasons, Hanover Central has won almost 100 games (97-22-1) and almost half of those 22 losses have come in the annual Twin Lakes Invitational in Monticello. Nobody in northwest Indiana has a won-loss edge on Hanover in the last five seasons.

Except for Lowell.

For the second consecutive season and the third time in five years, the Red Devils (5-8) put the brakes on Hanover's victory train, this time with a 2-1 upset down on Route 2.

Lowell's 'all new crew' of freshman slap hitters Amy Shelhart and Liz Martin plus freshman pitcher Cristin Just were instrumental in creating two Red Devil runs and holding down the sixth-ranked (Class 2A) Lady Cats, who had scored 10 or more runs in their first eight games. For Lowell, which started the season 2-8, it was a definite step forward.

"We always do well against them," said senior Kristen O'Connell. "I pitched against them and we won last year. I think we're coming around now. This was our best win of the year."

For Hanover, a team that might never lose if they could score three runs in every game, this was a very similar afternoon to the 2-1 home loss to Chesterton on April 15. As they did on that day the Lady Cats were held to one hit and one run and as she did two weeks earlier, losing pitcher Amanda Wendlinger deserved a better fate.

Wendlinger, who entered the game with 70 strikeouts in 38 innings, struck out 13 more in six innings, only to lose because of a very left-handed Lowell fourth inning.

After Wendlinger struck out seven of the first nine batters she faced, Lowell changed strategy. Freshman Amy Shelhart laid down a bunt and beat the throw for the Devils' first hit. Liz Martin repeated the bunt single routine and the Devils had what would be their only real threat.

Third pace hitter Tiffany Meyers, a right-handed hitter who struck out her first time up, batted left-handed and bunted to Hanover third baseman Cathy Holmoka. Holmoka held the runner at third but her throw to first was late. Shelhart, with above average speed, broke for the plate and scored Lowell's first run. After cleanup hitter Amber Roberts struck out, Just sliced a soft line drive single into short right field to make it 2-0.

Wendlinger struck out the next five batters and Lowell would not score again.

Hanover rallied with one out in the sixth when Wendlinger reached on an error by Lowell first baseman Sydney Schuttrow. Rachel Williams then slapped a single to left. Bess Copak smacked a line drive into center field but Lowell sophomore Ashley Cicillian made a diving catch. Wendlinger tagged up and advanced to third and when Cicillian's throw got past third base, Wendlinger scored the 2-1 run.

Kelly Lapota flied out to left field to end the inning and Just would strike out two to end the game in the seventh.

HC coach Larry McMillen was unhappy that his team didn't react to the slap-bunt scheme that Lowell always tries.

"We must've worked on those (bunts) for an hour and a half yesterday," he said. "We had a girl stand at the plate and roll them out there. It's not like we didn't know what was coming. The fact is, we played Lowell and we just froze. We always do. "

CAT/DEVIL NOTES: The April 21 rained out game with Porter County Conference (PCC) rival Wheeler (6-2, 2-0) will be made up on May 20 when it should decide the regular season PCC championship. "We also drew them to start the tournament," McMillen said of the eight-team PCC championship which set for May 16-17.

Lowell, one of the few schools which has played every scheduled game so far, won for the third time in three days. Sophomore outfielder Ashley Cicillian had three RBIs in a Monday (April 21) 7-2 win at Gavit, a game in which junior Ashley Lukasik got her first varsity win and Cristin Just closed the game striking out four in the sixth and seventh.

Just was 3-for-3 in a Tuesday (April 22) 7-0 win over South Newton down in Kentland.

Kristen O'Connell struck out nine in seven innings to record her first win of the season. O'Connell, who got hit on the knee with a line drive in the Gavit game, allowed three hits and no walks.
Wednesday's game was played simultaneously with the Lowell-Griffith boys baseball game won but Lowell 6-4. Both game started well after the 4:30 p.m. start because of availability of buses for the visitors. Some spectators stood beyond the right field fence of the baseball field and watched both games at the same time.

HANOVER CENTRAL (6-3, 2-0 PCC)
Head coach Larry McMillen (11th year)
2002: 24-5 2001: 28-3 2000: 16-9-1 1999: 23-2

4-3: 11-0 (6) at River Forest (4-6)
4-10 1-2 Chesterton (8-1)
4-12: 8-3 Bishop Noll (7-4)
4-12: 2-7 Bishop Noll (7-4)
4-15: 11-0 at North Newton (3-3)
4-16: 11-0 MORGAN TOWNSHIP (2-5)
4-18: 11-0 Clark (0-8)
4-19: 20-1 at HEBRON (5-4)
4-21 (Rain) at WHEELER (6-2)
4-23: 1-2 at Lowell (5-8)

4-24 (Th) Beecher, Ill - 4:30 p.m.
4-26 (S) LaCROSSE (0-0) - 11 a.m.
4-30 (W) Morton (2-2) 4:30 p.m.

5-1 (Th) South Newton (0-0) 4:30 p.m.
5-2 (F) at KOUTS (0-0) 4:30 p.m.
5-3 (S) Crown Point (1-0) 10 a.m.
5-5 (M) at Renssealer (0-0) 4:30 p.m...
5-8 (Th) at BOONE GROVE (0-2) 4:30 p.m.

Twin Lakes Invitational (16 teams)
5-9 (F) 1st round game - 5:30 p.m.
5-10 (S) 1st round game - 9 a.m.
5-10 (S) 1st round game - 12 noon.

5-13 (Tu) at WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (0-0) 4:30 p.m.
5-15 (Th) at Griffith (3-0) - 4:30 p.m.

Porter County Conference (PCC) championship (at LaCrosse)
5-16 (F) quarterfinals - 4:30 p.m.
5-17 (S) semifinals- 9 a.m.
5-17 (S) championship - 2 p.m

5-22 (Th) at Whiting (0-0) 7 p.m.

LOWELL (5-8, 2-2 LAC)
Head coach Pete Iussig
2002: 14-15 2001: 21-9 2000: 24-10-1 1999: 23-9

3-29: 2-7 Chesterton (8-1)
4-5: 3-6 at Valparaiso (5-6)
4-8: 8-0 Kankakee Valley (2-6)
4-10: 0-11 MUNSTER (8-2)
4-14: 0-2 at Hobart (7-3)
4-15: 11-0 at CLARK (0-8)
4-16: 1-6 Portage (6-3)
4-17: 4-12 BISHOP NOLL (7-4)
4-19:   4-6 Crown Point (6-5)
4-19:   1-2 Crown Point (6-5)
4-21L   7-2 at GAVIT (4-4)
4-22:   7-0 at South Newton (3-5)
4-23:   2-1 Hanover Central (6-3)

4-24 (Th) GRIFFITH(7-3) 4:30 p.m.
4-28 (M) Lake Central (10-2-1) 4:30 p.m.
4-29 (Tu) at Hammond (4-5) 4:30 p.m.

5-1 (Th) LAKE STATION (0-8)
5-6 (Tu) at WHITING (7-1)
5-8 (Th) CALUMET (7-6)
5-12 (M) Merrillville (3-8)
5-13 (Tu) at HIGHLAND (7-2)
5-14 (W) Wheeler (5-2)
5-15 (Th) MORTON (5-7)
5-20 (Tu) at ANDREAN (10-1)

Penn Invitational (4 teams)
5-24 (3 games) 10 a.m. (EST)

MERRILLVILLE (4A) SECTIONAL
5-26 (M) quarterfinals - 5 p.m.
5-27 (Tu) quarterfinals - 5 p.m.
5-30 (Th) semifinals - 5 p.m.
5-31 (F) championship (TBA)

MERRILLVILLE (4A) REGIONAL
6-7 (S) semifinals - 10 a.m.
6-7 (S) championship - 7 p.m.

2003 STATE SOFTBALL FINALS
6-13 (F) 4A semifinals - 6:30 p.m.
6-13 (S) 4A championship - 5 p.m.