Lowell overcomes Hanover challenge with 6-1 softball win at home
A USA-365 special report by Mark Smith

4-19-2007

Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 51 degrees & sunny at LOWELL, IN

WP - Alyssa Reed (4-1) CG, 4K, 2 walks (93 pitches)
LP - Jessica Toth (3-2) 4K, 2 walks (5 innings, 69 pitches)

HANOVER CENTRAL (3-4)
Kelsey Jankowski (DH-P) 3 singles
Morgan Austgen (3B) Double, run scored
Jordan Kramer (RF) 2 singles
Kara Gilbert (SS) Sac. bunt, RBI

LOWELL (8-3)
Jacki Fletcher (2B) walk, stolen base, run scored
Kelly Johnson (SS) Triple, single, RBI
Katherine Allert (C) HR, 2 RBIs
Becca Nida (CF) 2 singles, Sac. Fly, stolen base, RBI
Megan Bentley (PR) 2 stolen bases

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - 47 degrees & sunny at UNION TOWNSHIP, IN

WP - Lanay Parks (4-10) CG,   13Ks, 1 walk
LP - Kelsey Jankowski (0-2)  0W, 1K (4 innings)
Jessica Toth (HC) 5K, 0 walks (2 innings)

WHEELER (5-1)
Mackenzie Ness (OF) 2 doubles, 2 RBIs
Heather Gregory (OF) Double, RBI

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - 47 degrees & sunny at UNION TOWNSHIP, IN

WP - Eleanor Kennedy (4-1) 3K, 1 walk (3 innings)
(starter) Holly Ispas (M) 3K, 1 walk
LP - Kaitlyn Bolanowski (4-2)  CG, 1k, 2 walks

LOWELL  (7-3)
Kelly Johnson (SS) Triple RBI

Munster (7-1)
Lauren Henning (OF) Single, RBI

LOWELL (4-18-2007) -  Truthfully, if a freshman and sophomore dominated team could go on the road and beat a junior-dominated team with two all-area players, then everybody would win every game every year.  It's not like that.  Hanover Central stayed even until the fifth inning, but small HC mistakes and some 'big ball' by Lowell combined to boost the Red Devils to a 6-1 victory over their sister school.

Alyssa Reed reached base on a leadoff throwing error by Hanover second baseman Lindsey Thompson and a walk, three stolen bases and sacrifice fly later, the Devils led 2-1.  By that time the Devils had moved into the heart of their order, all-stater Kelly Johnson and future all-area catcher Katherine Allert.  Johnson's deep drive to the right field fence barely eluded outfielder Jordan Kramer for an RBI triple before Allert hit right-hander Jessica Toth's first pitch far over the fence in right center for a two-run homer.

"You just can't give a team with hitters like that an extra out," said Hanover coach Larry McMillen afterwards.  "They do have some hitters in the middle of the lineup."

Hanover (3-4), which has lost to Chesterton (11-0), Munster (8-1) and now Lowell (8-3), got the best of things in the early going, but could not convert on several scoring chances under sunny skies on another cold April afternoon.  The game may have turned when Hanover filled the bases in the first inning before HC's Brittany Ribicki grounded out.

Lowell scored first in the third inning on a throwing error by HC first baseman Molly Fairhurst, which was caused by Lowell's Becca Nida racing from first to third on a ground out.  Hanover tied the game in the fifth inning after back-to-back leadoff hits by freshman Morgan Austgen and Kelsey Jankowski.  Kara Gilbert's ground out scored the Lady Cats' only run.  HC should have taken the lead in that inning, but Reed got HC's Toth to pop up with two runners on base and Lindsey Thompson's long drive into left center was caught by Lowell center fielder Becca Nida.  The catch, and a similar running catch by left fielder Kelly Koza with a runner in scoring position and two out in the fourth inning, were welcome sights for Lowell coach Pete Iussig, who feels his outfield is a big question mark.

"Koza made a nice catch," he said.  "It wasn't great.  It was a nice catch.  We don't have the outfielders who want to get dirty and dive for the ball.  Since Ginger Keithley (a 2001 Lowell grad and an assistant coach at Crown Point) was here, we really haven't had anybody like that.  They're not as aggressive as I've wanted.  They know they've got Johnson out there (at short) and they know she'll get everything she can reach."

McMillen was upset about the previous night, a 2-0 loss at Wheeler (5-1) and freshman right-hander Lanay Parks.  He felt the Lady Cats should not have been shut out.

"We just cant lay off the rise ball," said the coach. "She struck us out 13 times and we looked bad doing it.  With Vickie  (Wigsmoen) out, that hurts us.  She would be batting fifth behind Toth and we could move Lindsey Thompson down in the order so we'd be stronger there."

McMillen thought Thompson was robbed of a run-scoring hit in the fourth inning by Nida.

"Nobody should have caught that ball," he said.  "And the other one she hit was back near the fence.  We had a lot of chances today."

Iussig gave credit to Hanover's squad, which included three freshmen and three sophomores in the starting lineup.

"I was really impressed with Toth," Lowell's coach said.  "She's obviously going to be good.  From the box scores I've seen, the times she has lost it's been near the end of the game.  She does a good job with pitch location.  Inside-outside.  She moves the ball.  I've been telling girls for years, you don't need a whole lot of pitches.  Just move people in and out.  I was impressed with her more than anything we did."

Iussig always speaks with the knowledge that powerhouses Lake Central (8-2) and Munster (8-1) are waiting at sectional time.  He doesn't get too excited over regular season wins.  Even Reed's complete-game victory was not quite at the level that her coach is looking for.

"The last three games, she and Bolanowski haven't had and the control they had earlier.  It's good enough to win, but we're not overly pleased with it."

NOTES:  Allert's home run was her second of the season and the first one off Hanover pitching this season.  The sophomore catcher hit a seventh inning home run to break a scoreless tie at Highland on April 4.  Kelly Johnson, who had two triples last season, has three in a four game span this month.  Hanover second baseman Lindsey Thompson had two extra base hits taken away from her on running catches by Lowell left fielder Kelly Koza and center fielder Becca Nida.  Both long drives could have driven in HC runs.

The irony is that Thompson, who is right-handed, was batting left-handed.  HC coach Larry McMillen, like Lowell coach Pete Iussig, likes to take right-handed hitters and turn them into lefty batters to take away the advantage of the pitchers' curve ball and get them a step closer to first base.

"You should see the power she has right-handed," McMillen says of Thompson.

Other right-handed girls who bat lefty for Hanover are freshmen Morgan Austgen and Kelsey Jankowski plus center fielder Brittney Ribicki.  Oddly, senior pitcher-first baseman Molly Fairhurst throws left-handed and bats right-handed.  Lowell right-handed starters Jacki Fletcher, Becca Nida and Michelle Johnson all bat left-handed.

HC will play in the rescheduled version of the LaVille Invitational Saturday.  The original eight team tournament was postponed on April 7 and it will now be a four-team matchup.  The Lady Cats will play two 'pool play' games beginning at 10:00 a.m. and could reach the afternoon championship round.

Hanover lost 2-0 to Wheeler Wednesday as Bearcat freshman Lanay Parks (4-1) struck out 13.  Parks' victory was her fourth consecutive shutout including 26 scoreless innings and 43 strikeouts.  Parks also struck out 13 in her only defeat, a 6-0 loss at Whiting, giving her 56 strikeouts in 33 innings.  The competition has not been top shelf (River Forest, Lake Station, Gavit and Clark), but Wheeler pitching has allowed only 11 hits all season.

Hanover first baseman Victoria Wigsmoen has her wrist in a hard cast and, with just five weeks left in the regular season, she's unlikely to play again this year.  Wigsmoen was injured on a tag play March 31 against Munster.  Wigsmoen, a sophomore, has a broken wrist that she hopes will be 100% healed for the volleyball season in August.

(4A) LOWELL (8-3, 5-1 LAC)
Varsity Coach Pete Iussig... all games at 4:30 unless otherwise indicated... LAC games in CAPS
3-22 (W) 9-3 Kankakee Valley  (2-5)
3-29 (L)  4-8 Chesterton (11-0)
3-31 (W) 5-0 at Valparaiso (0-8)
4-2 (L) 2-4 at Portage (5-2)
4-3 (W) 2-0 at HIGHLAND (6-3)
4-5 (W) 2-1 (8 innings) ANDREAN  (8-1)
4-10 (cold) BISHOP NOLL
4-11 (cold) Boone Grove
4-12 (W) 8-2 at HOBART (7-3)
4-14 (W) 6-4 (9 innings) at Crown Point (6-6)
4-16 (L) 2-3 at MUNSTER (8-1)
4-18 (W) 6-1 Hanover Central (3-4)

4-19-7 (Th) GRIFFITH  (3-5)
4-24-7 (Tu) at KANKAKEE VALLEY
4-26-7 (Th) HIGHLAND

4-28-7 (S) at Pioneer  - 9 a.m.
4-28-7 (S) vs. West Lafayette at Pioneer (TBA)

5-1-7 (Tu) at ANDREAN
5-3-7 (Th) BISHOP NOLL

Twin Lakes Invitational  (3-5 games)
5-4-7 (F)  pool play game (5 p.m. or 6:30 p.m.)
5-5-7 (S) pool play game (9 a.m. or 10:30 a.m.)
5-5-7 (S) pool play game (12 noon or 1:30 p.m.)

5-7-7 (M) Merrillville
5-8-7 (Tu) HOBART
5-9-7 (W) Wheeler
5-10-7 (Th) MUNSTER
5-14-7 (M) MORTON
5-15-7 (Tu) at GRIFFITH - 7 p.m.
5-16-7 (W) Lake Central

Lake Central (4A) Sectional
5-21-7 (M) quarterfinals - TBA
5-23-7 (W) semifinals - TBA
5-25-7 (F) championship - TBA

(2A) HANOVER CENTRAL  (3-4, 1-0 PCC)
Varsity Coach Larry McMillen... PCC games in CAPS

3-29 (W) 22-1 at River Forest (0-8) 5 innings
3-30 (L) 0-7 Chesterton (11-0)
3-31 (L)  1-2 at Munster (8-1)
4-10 (W) 2-0 at North Newton  (4-4)
4-11 - MORGAN TOWNSHIP (cold)
4-13 - at Bishop Noll  (cold)
4-14 (W) 2-0 at HEBRON (2-2)
4-17 (L) 0-2 at Wheeler  (5-1)
4-18 (L) 1-6 at Lowell (8-3)

4-19 (Th) Beecher, Ill. (8-2) 4:30 p.m.
4-21 (S) LaCROSSE (0-7) postponed

LaVille Invitational  (4 teams)
5-5 (S) pool play - morning - 10 a.m.
5-5 (S) pool play - afternoon - 12 noon

4-25 (W) Morton  - 4:30 p.m.
4-27 (F) at KOUTS - 4:30 p.m.
4-30 (M) at Rensselaer  - 5 p.m.

5-1  (Tu) at SOUTH CENTRAL  - 5 p.m.
5-3  (Th) at BOONE GROVE  - 4:30 p.m.

Twin Lakes Invitational  (3-5 games)
5-4 (F) pool play - 5 p.m. or 6:30 p.m.
5-5 (S) pool play - morning
5-5 (S) pool play - afternoon

5-8 (F) at WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 4:30 p.m.

Porter County Conference (PCC) Finals 
5-11 (F) quarterfinals - 5 p.m.
5-12 (S) semifinals and finals (10 a.m. - 12 noon - 3 p.m.)

5-18 (F) Whiting - 5 p.m.
5-19 (S) Crown Point - 11 a.m.

2A Sectional (HC, Noll, Wheeler, Boone & Lake Station)
5-21 (M) quarterfinals  - (TBA)
5-23 (W) semifinals - (TBA)
5-25 (F) championship - (TBA)

2A Regional (at LaVille)
6-2 (S) semifinals - (TBA)
6-2 (S) championship - (TBA)

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Revised: April 22, 2007.