Published: June 07, 2009 01:49 am      

CLASS A SOFTBALL: Hornets have hearts broken again by Tecumseh

This time, the Henryville softball team gave two-time defending state runner-up Tecumseh a hard-earned run for its money.

For 11 innings in Saturday’s second semifinal of the Class A North Daviess Regional, the Hornets battled the top-ranked Braves to the bitter end.

Unfortunately, Henryville ended up with the same result — a heartbreaking setback.

With one out in the bottom of the 11th, Tecumseh junior Julie Roeder launched an RBI double to deep center field to defeat the fifth-ranked Hornets, 1-0.

It was the second consecutive year that the Braves have ended Henryville’s season. Last year in the North Daviess Regional final, Tecumseh (26-4-1) blanked the Hornets, 5-0.

“There was not a loser out there today,” third-year Henryville coach Jenny Odle said. “I’m sad for the girls because they worked so hard, and they were in the game the whole time. There is no disappointment in anyone. They all did their job today.

“My heart breaks for them when they’ve worked so hard all week and come up short.”

In the bottom of the 11th, the Braves’ Teri Neumaster led off the frame by reaching base on an infield single.

The junior hit a slow grounder between shortstop and third base, and sped down the first-base line before Hornet shortstop Ashley Dickerson could make a throw. Tecumseh third baseman Ali Nord then advanced Neumaster to second by converting a 3-4 sacrifice.

It was followed by Roeder’s two-bagger, which went over the head of Henryville center fielder Kelsie Kuntz and plated Neumaster.

“I think there were two even teams today. Defense was even, offense was even, pitching was even,” Odle said. “They just happened to get the hits at the right time. I couldn’t be more proud of (the Hornets).”

Henryville’s best opportunity to score was in the top of the seventh. Kelcey Pierce, the lone senior on the Hornets’ roster, started the threat with a single to center and then went to second on an Amanda Embry groundout.

Pierce then advanced to third on a 1-4 sacrifice by Rebecca Snodgrass. But the inning ended when Tecumseh ace pitcher Audra Sanders struck out Kuntz.

“It was one of those situations where I noticed that they were playing their third baseman a little farther back. I thought we could make their defense work and possibly make something happen,” Odle said about the decision to have Snodgrass bunt with one out. “This isn’t a game where we were getting hit after hit after hit on either side. Sometimes you have to manufacture runs and put the pressure on the defense, and that’s what we were trying to do.”

Roeder’s walk-off double ended an unbelievable pitching duel between Embry and Sanders.

Embry threw all 11 innings, allowing eight hits and one walk. The junior struck out 10, dropping her record to 19-5.

Sanders, a senior who will play at Ball State next year, tossed a complete-game three-hitter. She posted 15 strikeouts and set Indiana’s career strikeout record in the process.

“I knew if Sanders was on her game and if Amanda was on her game, it would be this way. It was no surprise,” Odle said. “Amanda pitched an awesome game and so did Sanders.”

Along with Embry, Henryville’s defense stifled Tecumseh’s lineup.

The Hornets committed two errors, but neither one resulted in a run as they made great plays throughout the contest to get out of jams. In last season’s regional final, Henryville made five miscues, which led to three Brave unearned runs.

“We talked about goals before the game, and one of our goals was to not let them have those unearned runs. That could be a difference in a ballgame,” Odle said. “We did a good job. Our defense came through. They made tough plays, they made good plays, they made routine plays. They did what they had to do.”

Pierce ended up 2-for-3, as she will continue her softball career next season at Indiana University Southeast.

“As I told Kelcey, it’s better to go out in a great ballgame like this than to get beat by five or 10,” Odle said. “If you’re going to go out, it’s a good way to go out.”



CLASS A NORTH DAVIESS REGIONAL

SEMIFINAL

HENRYVILLE 000 000 000 00—0 3 2

TECUMSEH 000 000 000 01—1 8 2

W — Sanders (19-4). L — A. Embry (19-5). 2B — Roeder (T).

Records — Tecumseh 26-4-1, Henryville 24-5.