By B.J. Koubaroulis
Special to The Washington Post
Thursday, May 10, 2007

Marianne Johnson threw a no-hitter to give Bowie an 11-1 victory over previously unbeaten Largo in yesterday's Prince George's County softball championship at Cosca Regional Park in Clinton.

Johnson struck out 11 and walked five in the game, which was stopped after six innings on the 10-run mercy rule. The title was the third for Bowie (18-0); Largo fell to 14-1.

Johnson, a senior who had never pitched prior to last year, improved her record to 18-0 this season. She has 222 strikeouts and a 0.23 ERA.

"She's only been pitching a year," Bowie Coach Sarah Bible said. "She has led the team in a lot of ways and, pitching-wise, she has been very successful for us."

Johnson also had a triple in the win.

Sophomore right-hander Stephanie Speierman struck out 17 in a two-hitter to lead Hammond to a 5-0 win over visiting Glenelg and its first Howard County softball championship.

"This was the first year they actually split the teams in Howard County into two divisions and had a playoff," Hammond Coach Richard Pond said. "The girls just couldn't be happier. It means a lot to them."

Speierman (0.29 ERA) upped her season strikeout total to 338, and went 3 for 3 with a walk last night. Senior shortstop Katie Skojec (2 for 4) bolted from third base for home plate on a wild pitch and beat the tag to give Hammond (17-1) a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

"That was a huge momentum swing right there," Pond said.

Mount Hebron senior goalkeeper Caitlin O'Malley shook off the pain from a pregame injury that dislodged her thumbnail, making seven saves and several key clears to solidify a 17-7 victory over Glenelg in the Howard County girls' lacrosse championship. The victory gave No. 1 Mount Hebron its 17th consecutive county title, 19th overall.

"She had a nail bend backwards and her thumb was bleeding quite profusely," Mount Hebron Coach Brooke Kuhl-McClelland said.

Junior attack Alicia Krause had four goals and six assists, senior Jacqueline Giles scored four goals, and junior midfielder Jill Rekart controlled the draws and added two goals and an assist for Mount Hebron (14-1). Glenelg fell to 13-2.