Timely Hits Do In McDonough

Easton Musters Just Enough Offense to Top Rams for Title

McDonough was down a run with two outs in the seventh inning yesterday when it sent Melanie Mitchell to the plate.

Mitchell had struck out once all season and had sent a high fly ball to the left field fence at the University of Maryland's softball field in her previous at-bat.

There was no question how the Rams' opponent, Easton, would approach this at-bat. Mitchell would be intentionally walked. One out away from winning the Maryland 2A softball title wasn't the time to take any chances.

With McDonough runners on first and second, Easton's pitcher gave first base to Mitchell and then struck out the next Rams batter to end the game 2-1 and end McDonough's best season since 1998, when it last reached the state finals.

"I knew [the intentional walk] was coming," McDonough Coach Julie Snavely said. "I was just hoping we could put the ball in play. We had base runners, we just didn't get the timely hit when we needed to."

Mitchell, who struck out 14 and walked two, had held each of the Rams' previous playoff opponents scoreless. Yesterday, Easton's two hits increased the total she had given up this postseason to a mere five. McDonough (18-6) actually out-hit Easton 3-2, but all the Warriors needed were two well-timed hits in the third inning to grab the lead and never let go.

Rams center fielder Janice Spearbeck gave McDonough a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when she scored off a sacrifice fly from Mitchell. But the Warriors (23-1) responded instantly, when their second batter of the inning, Cassie Greenhawk, hit a single to left-center.

Easton's next batter, Caitlin Chance, bunted, and as the McDonough fielders raced in for coverage around the plate, one of them accidentally stepped on the ball. That gave Chance the time she needed to reach first.

"Things like that happen," Snavely said. "It could have been nerves. I can't blame anyone and to me it was a fluke."

Greenhawk and Chance later scored on a single to center by Easton's Kris Durham.

"It was that one inning," Snavely said. "That hit, that's all it takes. We've lived and died on one hit before."

McDonough's best shot at a comeback came in the fifth with runners on first and second when Mitchell hit a fly ball deep into left. Easton's Caroline Marvel scrambled to get back toward the fence while turning to catch the ball as she stared into the setting sun.

"I didn't think it was going to go out," Mitchell said. "I didn't think she was going to be able to catch it though. She was probably playing about 180 so she only needed to turn and run."

Marvel caught Mitchell's blast within a foot of the fence, and the Rams had just lost a key opportunity to regain control of the game.