Extra-inning heroics

Cowger’s single completes Chargers’ comeback

Friday, April 11, 2008

Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by GARY SMITH Lackey’s Jordyn Commo, left, backs up teammate Jessica Prasser as Prasser makes the catch in Wednesday’s 4-3, eight-inning win. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

Down 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Lackey (3-2, 3-1 SMAC) took advantage of two crucial Leonardtown errors to tie the game with two outs and then went ahead in the eighth on Cowger’s flare.

‘‘We just finally got the bats going,” said Lackey head coach Dawn Cowger. ‘‘It took time, but that’s our biggest weakness, getting the bats moving. The girls really pulled together and settled down to win this one.”

Limited to just two hits in six innings, the Chargers appeared to be on the brink of defeat when Kayle Frazer stepped to the plate with a runner on first and two outs in the bottom of the seventh and hit a dying quail into shallow center field.

Kylee Woode ran in on the ball, but could not secure the catch. Runners advanced to second and third on the dropped fly ball.

With two runners in scoring position, and the Chargers still down by three, Jessica Smith hit a routine grounder to third base. Leonardtown’s Kirsten Olson charged and fielded the ball, but overthrew first baseman Katie Currie. Two runs scored on the errant throw, and Smith went to third.

Senior right fielder Rachel Wehausen then delivered the tying run when she smacked her second hit of the game into right field to bring Smith home.

‘‘I was nervous when I went up there, but I told myself not think of the pressure,” said Wehausen, Lackey’s No. 9 hitter. ‘‘I knew what I had to do, and I was able to get the hit. It feels really good to come through, because I have struggled at the plate this season.”

Cowger came to the plate with no outs in the bottom of the eighth and the winning run just 60 feet away,

The junior catcher fell behind in the count early after swinging and missing and then drilling a foul ball deep into left field.

But Cowger connected on the 0-2 pitch, placing the ball just over Olson’s outstretched glove at third to bring in Amanda Duran.

‘‘I got pretty lucky in the eighth; today wasn’t my best game,” Cowger said. ‘‘But she threw me a change up on the inside. The pitch was going to hit me, but I swung anyway, and I was able to get just enough of it. It barely got over her head a third.”

Leonardtown (5-4, 3-3) threatened to score in the top of the eighth. The Raiders loaded the bases with one out on a bunt by Katie Wood.

Then, Lackey pitcher Amber LaBille fielded a comebacker to the mound, which started an inning-ending double play.

‘‘We choked. What we did is called choking,” said Leonardtown head coach Glenn Larnerd Jr. ‘‘We just didn’t make the plays in pressure situations. It’s simple to make the plays. We practice it everyday. But we couldn’t make the plays today.”

Leonardtown’s poor play defensively late in the game spoiled a strong effort by starting pitcher Roni Peters. The sophomore struck out six while allowing just two hits in the first six innings.

Peters’ effort was matched by Lackey’s LaBille, who struck out five and stymied Leonardtown’s lineup for six innings after getting off to a rough start.

‘‘Later in the game, I felt really good,” LaBille said. ‘‘I was kind of nervous at first, but I knew that my defense was solid behind me, so I started feeling more comfortable on the mound.”

The junior found success with working her off-speed curveball on the inside corner of the plate. Using her changeup, LaBille struck out two in the sixth and one in the eighth.

Leonardtown took the lead in the top of the first, on a single by senior Kara Sapp. Eli Gaston and Peters scored on the play.

The Raiders added a third run in the second, when Katie Wood led off with a single to right field, advanced to third on two fielder’s choices, and then came home on an errant pick-off attempt.