Post by Porter Boy on Mar 31, 2007 6:20:17 GMT -5
By BILL SCHEIBE asst. Sports Editor
Carter single lifts Lockport over Beecher LOCKPORT -- Neither Annika Sorenstam nor Michelle Wie are noteworthy for their ability to play right field, but Lockport High School senior Hannah Carter combined Sorenstam's green-deciphering acumen with Wie's accurate length at driving the ball.
After senior third baseman Brittany Wilson lined a one-out single down the left-field line in the bottom of the fourth inning, Carter creamed the first pitch into the right-center gap -- the softball ricocheting smack off the knee of Beecher junior right fielder Courtney Wehling into oblivion.
According to Carter ...
Right can be like playing golf.
"It is, it is," she said. "That's how it is. You have to kind of read the ball, really, because there are a lot of little divots everywhere. It doesn't look noticeable, but it's there, and even the sun started peeking out, so you're a little iffy."
Despite an afternoon featuring a little drizzle and a Wie bit of sunshine, there were no ifs, ands or buts about Carter's single Friday. The Robert Morris College-bound right fielder went 2-for-3, with her second swing eventually scoring Wilson for the lone run in the Porters' 1-0 nonconference victory.
Junior center fielder Katelyn Braget, the DePaul recruit, also finished 2-for-3 on a pair of singles for Lockport (4-1) -- the 2004 Class AA state champions. That gave the Porters 5 hits against ace Alex Lagesse (1-2), a junior righty who struck out 6 and walked 2 in 6 innings for Beecher (1-2) -- the 2004 Class A state champions.
Trophies aside, both teams are considered near or at the top of the class in Chicagoland-area softball for 2007, with the Porters snapping a two-game losing streak to the Panthers. And although Braget singled to left to lead off the first, she roped a single toward the right-field chalk in the fifth, following Carter's bread crumbs.
According to Braget ...
Right can be distinctly all right.
"Once we adjusted and figured out where the pitches were going to go, we were able to jack the ball to right field," she said. "That helped us to get on base and score a run. It was a good game, real tight and real fun, and we haven't beaten them in a while. It was good to beat them for once."
"Yes, she did," Lockport coach Marissa Chovanec nodded, referring to Carter's trend-setter that plated Wilson. "We were putting the ball in play and Lagesse is a great pitcher, so I was real pleased with our hitters -- just how they were able to hit the ball. They made their adjustments."
Those same adjustments for Beecher came against a pitching trifecta. Sophomore Dana Bowler (2-1) started, bowling over the Panthers to the tune of 5 strikeouts in a 3-inning 1-hitter. Senior Sarah Porzel (2-0) picked up the win with a strikeout and a hit allowed in 2 innings. Senior Kim Malacina earned the save with 2 strikeouts, relinquishing a walk in 2 innings
Carter single lifts Lockport over Beecher LOCKPORT -- Neither Annika Sorenstam nor Michelle Wie are noteworthy for their ability to play right field, but Lockport High School senior Hannah Carter combined Sorenstam's green-deciphering acumen with Wie's accurate length at driving the ball.
After senior third baseman Brittany Wilson lined a one-out single down the left-field line in the bottom of the fourth inning, Carter creamed the first pitch into the right-center gap -- the softball ricocheting smack off the knee of Beecher junior right fielder Courtney Wehling into oblivion.
According to Carter ...
Right can be like playing golf.
"It is, it is," she said. "That's how it is. You have to kind of read the ball, really, because there are a lot of little divots everywhere. It doesn't look noticeable, but it's there, and even the sun started peeking out, so you're a little iffy."
Despite an afternoon featuring a little drizzle and a Wie bit of sunshine, there were no ifs, ands or buts about Carter's single Friday. The Robert Morris College-bound right fielder went 2-for-3, with her second swing eventually scoring Wilson for the lone run in the Porters' 1-0 nonconference victory.
Junior center fielder Katelyn Braget, the DePaul recruit, also finished 2-for-3 on a pair of singles for Lockport (4-1) -- the 2004 Class AA state champions. That gave the Porters 5 hits against ace Alex Lagesse (1-2), a junior righty who struck out 6 and walked 2 in 6 innings for Beecher (1-2) -- the 2004 Class A state champions.
Trophies aside, both teams are considered near or at the top of the class in Chicagoland-area softball for 2007, with the Porters snapping a two-game losing streak to the Panthers. And although Braget singled to left to lead off the first, she roped a single toward the right-field chalk in the fifth, following Carter's bread crumbs.
According to Braget ...
Right can be distinctly all right.
"Once we adjusted and figured out where the pitches were going to go, we were able to jack the ball to right field," she said. "That helped us to get on base and score a run. It was a good game, real tight and real fun, and we haven't beaten them in a while. It was good to beat them for once."
"Yes, she did," Lockport coach Marissa Chovanec nodded, referring to Carter's trend-setter that plated Wilson. "We were putting the ball in play and Lagesse is a great pitcher, so I was real pleased with our hitters -- just how they were able to hit the ball. They made their adjustments."
Those same adjustments for Beecher came against a pitching trifecta. Sophomore Dana Bowler (2-1) started, bowling over the Panthers to the tune of 5 strikeouts in a 3-inning 1-hitter. Senior Sarah Porzel (2-0) picked up the win with a strikeout and a hit allowed in 2 innings. Senior Kim Malacina earned the save with 2 strikeouts, relinquishing a walk in 2 innings