Andrean Girls lose battle of Number Ones 3-2 to McCutcheon at Twin Lakes Invitational

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
ANDREAN (18-1-1)	0	0	2	0	0	-	-	2	4	2
McCutcheon (21-1)	1	0	1	0	2	-	-	3	4	1

Twin Lakes Invitational - 1st round 5-12-2003 in Monticello. - sunny, 71 degrees

WP - Amy Bowman (11-0) 1K, 1 walk (1 inning)
MacKenzie Knowling (McC) 0 walks, 3 Ks
LP - Katie Sheaks (12-1) CG No. 13 1K, 3 walks

McCutcheon (3 singles, double HBP, 2 stolen bases)
Alicia Garza (McC) Double, RBI, run scored
Lara Brickey (McC) Walk, HBP, RBI
ANDREAN (4 singles, HBP, stolen base)
Katie Sheaks (A) Walk, run scored
Samantha Markowski (A) Single, 2 RBIs
Carly Rossner (A) Single, stolen base

MONTICELLO (5-9-2003) - There was a different feel about it. Even though the rare, possibly unprecedented match-up of top-ranked Indiana softball teams occurred on a back-up field, two blocks from the main Twin Lakes high school diamond, it did felt like a big deal. The game, what there was of it, was worthy of a battle of elite teams. But there was only five innings of it.

Class 3A No. 1 McCutcheon scored twice in the fifth inning to hand Class 2A No. 1 Andrean a 3-2 loss in a first round game of the 16-team Twin Lakes Invitational, the 59ers first defeat in 20 games.

McCutcheon's Lara Brickey walked on a two out, 3-2 pitch from Katie Sheaks to drive in the go-ahead run at the end of a very competitive showdown. The contest was then called completed because of the 90-minute time limit for all tournament games. The 90 minutes had run out and, since no further inning could be started anyway, the game was effectively over.

"We had the lead" said Frank Podkul, who was clearly bothered by the way the 59ers lost. "We had the lead and we had a chance to pad it. And we just made mistakes. They came from basic softball. Lack of execution of basic plays."

It was hard to call Andrean (18-1-1) the better of the two teams after watching just five innings but on this warm White County Friday night, the 59ers should have won. Leading 2-1 in the fifth, McCutcheon, a Lafayette school riding a 19-game winning streak, came to life.

With one out left-handed slap hitter Rachel Clark sliced a single to right and impressive freshman Alicia Garza lined a 2-0 pitch over the left fielder's head for a double. Clean-up batter Amy Bowman was walked intentionally before three-year starting catcher Heather Han batted with the bases loaded.

Han hit a sharp bouncing ball that saw 59er second baseman Carly Rossner make a fine, backhand stop. Rossner threw home to sophomore catcher Samantha Markowski in time to force out Clark. But Markowski was standing in front of the plate and the run scored. After the Mavericks' MacKenzie Knowling was called out when her squeeze bunt hit her in the leg as she was running to first base, Brickey walked on the 3-2 pitch and the game was over.

"This is going to be a good lesson for us," said Podkul. "Sometimes you can't get by on a smile and talent. Sometimes you have to make plays. They took advantage of mistakes. We didn't."

McCutcheon coach Jim Bates, a quiet, fatherly type who has been the Mavericks coach for 18 years, was very happy about the victory.

"We played Andrean last year," he said, as the team bus was about to carry his laughing, happy bunch back to Lafayette. "They beat us 2-1 here. We knew they'd be very tough. They're a very good hitting team. We were hoping to make no mistakes pitching because we knew they could take it out of here if we did."

McCutcheon is a totally different team from Andrean, a big strong right-handed hitting team with a big strong, all-state right-handed pitcher. The Mavericks are a relatively small team physically, with two distinctly different pitchers and four left-handed contact hitters. Sheaks, Andrean's star right-hander, who strikes out a little more than a batter an inning, got just two strikeouts Friday.

"That's the thing we really emphasize," said Bates. "We don't strike out. We put the ball in play and you'll get some opportunities."

Andrean scored twice in the top of the third against Knowling, McCutcheon's starting pitcher. Gina Gregorczyk was hit by a pitch and Katie Sheaks walked. One out later, Cara Santori walked to fill the bases. With two outs, Markowski smacked a ground ball single to center to give Andrean a 2-0 lead.

The 59ers could have scored more as Amy Goetz followed with a walk. Beth Wirtz then hit a sharp line drive directly to McCutcheon shortstop Alexis Newby.

The 59ers threatened in the fifth when Kelli Jeziorski singled to lead off against Bowman, who had just entered the game to pitch. Santori popped out on a bunt attempt and Jeziorski was tagged out on Rossner's ground balls to McCutcheon second baseman Rachel Clark. Markowski walked but Goetz struck out to end the inning.

"We have beaten all three state champs from last year," smiled Bates. "We must be pretty good. I keep trying to tell them (his girls) that we aren't there yet but I don't know if I can keep saying that. We've got a lot of experience. We have three four-year starters and we've had almost exactly the same team for two years. Garza, the shortstop, is a freshman and she's very good. Everybody else started last year."

What was expected to be the early highlight of the Twin Lakes Invitational turned out to be the only highlight. Rain rolled in about 10 a.m. Saturday and canceled all but a couple of morning games. Andrean, McCutcheon and four or five other teams were dancing through puddles and eating snacks when the tournament was finally called off about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. With 16 teams involved, there was no chance to bring everybody back the next weekend.

"Let's face it," said Podkul. "That's a real good team. But we've got to make some plays. Our right fielder (Gregorczyk) had to lay out and catch that ball (Clark's leadoff single). She's got the speed. Our catcher has to step on the plate. We could have used a couple of the prom girls (outfielder Ashley Emmett and catcher Katie Gianinni) both were excused to go to the Andrean prom) here tonight but we had the game won without them."

"Maybe this is good for us. We'll see how we bounce back."

MONTICELLO NOTES: The sunshine that greeted northwest Indiana players when they returned home was deceptive. There was much more rain in White County than there was up in northwest Indiana Saturday. Twin Lakes athletic director Larry Crabb said he could have held the 16 teams at Twin Lakes, hoping for a predicted midday break in the weather.

"But we've got more storms rolling in this evening with tornado warnings," he said. "We would never finish. Maybe we'll see you at the (Class 2A) regional."

The three runs scored on Andrean was the most since a season-opening 8-3 Andrean win over St. Joseph's. This trivia continues to amaze me. The Dowagiac, Michigan team Andean beat 19-0 was 22-1 as of the start (May 14) of this week. Dowagiac pitching had a string of 99 consecutive shutout innings.

ANDREAN (18-1-1, 8-0 LAC)
Head Coach Frank Podkul - 2002: 30-3, 2001: 26-7, 2000: 28-3, 1999: 26-9-1
LAC Games in CAPS

4-5: 8-3 (South Bend) St. Joseph's (9-7)
4-5: 3-2 (South Bend) St. Joseph's (9-7)
4-8: 2-0 MUNSTER (14-2)
4-10: 1-0 BISHOP NOLL (11-9)
4-11: 2-0 Hobart (12-7)

Chieftain Invitational (Dowagiac, Mich.)
4-12:   5-2   (Kalamazoo, Mich.) Christian (17-5)
4-12:   9-0   (Portage, Mich.) Northern (16-8)
4-12: 19-0 Dowagiac, Mich. (23-1)
4-15: 8-1 at GAVIT (7-9)
4-17: 7-0 GRIFFITH (12-10)
4-21: 5-0 at HAMMOND (9-8)
4-23: 1-1 (16 innings) at Lake Central (18-2-1)
4-24: 9-0 LAKE STATION (0-16)
4-29: 8-0 at WHITING (9-7)
5-1 (Rain) CALUMET (6-13)
5-2: 8-1 at Crown Point (11-10)

Valparaiso Invitational
5-3: 6-2 Elkhart Memorial (15-3)
5-3: 4-1 Valparaiso (12-9)
5-5: 10-0 (5 innings) Clark (0-17)
5-7: 11-1 at Morton (7-9)

Twin Lakes Invitational (16 teams) in Monticello, Ind.
5-9: 2-3 (5 innings) McCutcheon (21-1)
5-10: (rain) Lewis Cass (13-3)
5-10: (rain) Benton Central (16-3)

5-12 (M) at Highland (15-3)
5-13 (Tu.) Kankakee Valley (9-10) 4:30 p.m.
5-14 (W) at (Michigan City) Marquette (13-4) 4:30 p.m.
5-15 (Th) at CLARK (0-16) 4:30 p.m.
5-20 (W) LOWELL (10-9) - 4:30 p.m.
5-21 (Th) Benton Central (16-3) 4:30 p.m.