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Junior Girls Hang On; One Win From World Series
 SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill.---Usually, a four-run lead with three outs to go is no big deal for the Delta County Junior Girls (age 13-14), especially with Gabi Salo in the pitcher's circle. But the girls had to hang on for dear life on Wednesday as the Central Regional Tournament semifinal game went down to the wire in South Holland, Ill. Delta County jumped to a 4-0 lead and then held on as Melrose Park, Ill., rallied for three runs in the final inning.  Delta County had a runner thrown out at third base twice early in the game, but in the third inning, the girls scored an unearned run before loading the bases with one out. But Illinois pitcher Cassandra Lee, daughter of former major leaguer Carlos Lee, got Sydney Herioux to pop up and Dakota Cloutier to ground out, ending the inning with a thin 1-0 lead. It stayed that way as Salo and Lee dueled, and the DC defense helped out when a runner did reach base. Cloutier threw out Lee trying to steal after she singled to start the bottom of the third inning, and when Melissa Gonzalez singled with one out in the bottom of the fourth, Delta County turned a sweet 4-6-3 double play, by Nicole Kamin, Herioux, and Andi Balenger. Then, in the top of the fifth inning, Delta County got on the board as Allison Sommers came off the bench to get a base hit to right and Jenna Tardiff got a base hit down the left field line. McKenna Bullen put down a bunt to load the bases, and Herioux came up with the bases loaded again. This time, she came through, with a hot shot up the middle to score two runs.  Melrose Park threatened again in the sixth inning when Lee got her second base hit and was bunted to second. Leadoff batter Yari Frias stroked a single to center, and Lee was sent around third. Taridiff threw a bullet from center field and Cloutier tagged her out. Inning over. But in the bottom of the seventh inning, it got interesting. Real interesting. Giselle Vasquez led off with a pop fly single. The next batter lined out to third, bringing up #4 hitter Sam Richardson. She smacked a double to left-center field, putting runners on second and third. "I walked up their thinking 'redemption'," Herioux said. "Because I knew that the first time, I didn't do so hot, and we didn't score any runs from that. So, I just had to get it done. It was right down the middle. It was just a good pitch. It was a meatball. I was ready for it." Gonzalez came up and launched a long bomb to center field, just missing a home run. It went for a two-run double, cutting Delta County's lead to 4-2. Then Kassie Perez was safe on an infield error, and that put the tying runs on base. Mark Cloutier went to the circle.  With Lee at the plate, and runners at the corners, Salo got her to bounce one up the middle for a 4-3 putout. A run scored, cutting Delta County's lead to one run. With the tying run on second and two out, Salo got Alyssa Stamoglia to foul out to Balenger, ending the game. Salo got the win, allowing three runs on seven hits. She struck out eight batters. Lee took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits. "They're a very well-coached team," Mark Cloutier said of the Melrose Park team. "Disciplined. We knew we were in for a dogfight today. We wanted to get the outs, one at a time. We did have a couple of errors, but the girls stuck with it." Delta County faces Poland, Ohio, in the Central Regional Championship game Thursday afternoon, with the winner earning a spot in the Junior Softball World Series in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland, Wash. Game time on Thursday is 4:00 ET/3:00 CT. The game will be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and www.rrnsports.com. Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos, and to listen to pre and post-game interviews.  |
