Oh, So Close! By MARTY MILLERHernando Today correspondent Published: Apr 28, 2008
LAKE MARY – The end came suddenly and with a jolt.
After a strong pitching performance for six innings, Hernando Christian Academy senior right-hander Mary Ellen Langley uncorked a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh to score Hayley Morales with the winning run, giving Lake Mary Prep a pulsating 2-1 win over HCA Friday in the Class 1A, Region II semifinal softball game.
The Lions, who finished 13-6 overall, battled 23-5 Lake Mary Prep as close as possible without winning the game.
"We have nothing to be ashamed of," said second-year HCA Head Coach Sue Murphy, who was doing her best to hold back how tough the loss was for her and her team.
"We did something our school has never done before (advancing to the semifinal round)," she commented. "We've never gone beyond winning the districts, so now we've gone one game beyond."
Scoring first
The host Griffins opened the scoring in the second inning off Langley as Kathryn Taricano started off with a walk. After a ground out, Meghan Navarro sacrificed Taricano to second, and she went to third when no Lion fielder covered third base.
Kim Brady then drove home the run with a bloop single to right, 1-0 Griffins.
In the fourth, HCA tied the score. Langley led off with an infield hit. Meredith Hanshaw bunted her to second and after Heidi Riley struck out, junior Jackie Butler singled to center to score Langley.
The Lions then loaded the bases when Madison Manuel reached base on an error by the Lake Mary Prep shortstop and Melissa Weaver was intentionally walked.
But the Lions failed to score when LMP pitcher Kathryn Taricano struck out Kim Armstrong.
The next inning, the Lions again loaded the bases. With two out, Langley reached first on an error by the shortstop. Hanshaw reached on an infield hit that moved Langley to second and Riley singled to center, with Langley stopping at third.
But Taricano, who ended the game with eight strikeouts, enticed Butler to end the inning by grounding out to shortstop.
The difference
LMP scored the winning run in the seventh. Morales led off the inning with a single. She moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a sacrifice bunt by Navarro.
The next hitter, Kim Brady, laid down a bunt in front of the plate that Langley fielded but held onto.
With the count 0-1 to sophomore Amanda Dudley, Langley threw a pitch that sailed to the backstop and scored Morales and ended the game.
"It was a tough game, but it was a fun one, it's the kind of game you want to play, tough defense, good pitching and a close game," said Lake Mary Prep Manager Gary Wain.
When asked what he might say to his own pitcher if what happened to HCA had happened to his team, Wain said it has.
"I've been in that position," he replied. "You tell them it's part of the game, that they did their best and you shake it off and come back."
For HCA coach Murphy, losing the game also meant an end to her current team.
"We love these kids. We've seen them grow up. They're not just softball players, all of them play other sports so we're always there. We've been together a lot, we're family," insisted Coach Murphy. "In the beginning, they may have been a little too excited, I don't know. We got as far as we could go, we played a good game."
Lake Mary Prep 2, HCA 1 (6 2/3 Innings)
HCA 000 100 0 -- 1 4 0
LMP 010 000 1 -- 2 5 2
HCA - Langley and Riley.
LMP - K. Taricano and Tenuta.
W - K. Taricano. L - Langley.
2B - Navarro (LMP).
Records - Hernando Christian Academy (22-4); Lake Mary Prep (23-5).
