Nailbiter: Behind hurler Hamric, Judges blank Falcons in 11 innings

By Dennis Atwood -- sports@nvdaily.com

WOODSTOCK -- In the nine-team Northwestern District, the fourth and fifth seeds would normally be the most evenly matched for tournament play.

With only one game separating them in the standings, the Handley Judges and Central Falcons proved that to be the case, as it took them a game and a half -- 11 innings -- to decide the winner in their quarterfinals contest Friday.

Handley senior center fielder Misa Alvarez lashed a one-out liner up the middle to knock in senior second baseman Shanita Morgan for the game's only run, as the Judges eliminated the Falcons in a 1-0 win.

"I wasn't looking for any particular pitch," Alvarez said. "All I know is I had bases loaded and I needed to get a run in, so I waited back in the box, waited on my pitch, and I went after it."

When Handley played at Central on April 17, it was hard luck for pitcher Chelsea Hamric as she took a scoreless one-hitter into the bottom of the seventh, only to lose, 1-0 as a result of two errors.

Hamrick did her part to avoid a similar fate today. She retired the side in eight of 11 innings, allowing just five hits in the game. Hamric struck out seven, but yielded no walks.

"This is my first 11-inning game and I'm pretty tired," Hamric said. "I try to focus on my pitch calls and I try to hit my spots better when there's runners on base so they don't advance. That's my main goal."

Handley had numerous chances to score, but left 14 runners on base, including having the bases loaded with one out in the ninth inning.

Central pitcher Brea Hinegardner also pitched a complete game. She allowed nine hits, struck out seven and the lone run allowed was unearned.

"Everybody has a role on this team and our role players came through for us today," Mondell said. "Ali Fritts came up [pinch hit in the 11th] and made the hard shot to third. And [Alvarez] drives it like she knows she can, and the rest is history. We can't say enough about our defense and our pitching."

Central mounted a rally in the bottom of the 11th as first baseman Taylor Cooper hit a one-out single to right and Margot Gurganus bunted and was called safe on an error, moving Cooper to second.

Michaela Fleming laid down a picture-perfect sac bunt that hugged the third base line for five feet, moving the runners up to second and third.

Hamric then buckled down, getting Brittney Mumaw on a pop foul to catcher Lauren Yaider. On a two-strike count, Allie Lockhart hit a screaming liner which Hamric snagged to preserve her marathon victory.

"I really don't know what to say," Central coach Jill Yew said. "It really was a great ballgame. It could have gone either way. We made a mistake here or there and we had runners on and couldn't get them in. But I told the girls, they have nothing to be ashamed of because we had a really good year."