April 29, 1999

Chieftains avoid first blemish of MAL season

By Chris Homan
Sports Writer

SYCAMORE -- Hopewell-Loudon coach Steve Adelsperger would prefer to take the day-by-day, game-by-game approach with his softball team.

And why not? It's worked to date. But after Wednesday night's convincing 10-4 win over Midland Athletic League power Mohawk, it's hard to believe the day of May 11th isn't dancing in the first-year coach's head.

The win over the Warriors gave Adelsperger's team a 10-3 mark overall, but more importantly the Chieftains stand alone atop the MAL standings with a 6-0 mark.

Now, the second-place team is Adelsperger's alma mater &emdash; Old Fort. The Stockaders, MAL champions the past two years, shutout Seneca East Wednesday afternoon, giving the Tigers three league losses while Mohawk now has two. That puts the Chieftains and Stockaders on a crash course for May 11.

"We played real good ball tonight and really, I am just looking to take the one-game at a time approach," Adelsperger said. "There is so much that can happen between now and the Old Fort game. I thought we played great defense tonight and early, we really hit the ball hard."

And while the Chieftains pounded the ball, Kerstin Reinhart was pounding Warriors at the plate. Although Reinhart failed to get a strikeout, she allowed just four hits and walked two in giving up one earned run.

"I thought Kerstin did a great job pitching tonight," Adelsperger said. "I think she only walked one or two. And lately, she has been pitching well. We've also had some great defensive plays behind her. Beth Cook was outstanding in from shortstop and Holly Thom made some good plays at second. We made smart decisions tonight."

Thom made a good play at the plate to start the game as she ripped a triple, only to be outdone by Sarah Hayward's blast to right to drive her in.

That gave Hopewell-Loudon a 2-1 lead in the second off Mohawk starter Jackie Chester, who took the loss after surrendering 12 hits in all and six earned runs.

The Chieftains tacked on four more runs in the top of the third. Cook and Thom each singled to start off the inning and Cook scored from third on Mindy Davidson's attempt to throw Thom out at second.

Thom then went to third on a passed ball and Lindsay Borer singled her in to make it 4-1. Sarah Hayward then reached via an error, but again Davidson tried to pick off the runner going to second and Borer scored. Hayward made it 6-1, crossing the plate on a wild pitch from Chester.

"We just didn't play a good ball game tonight," Mohawk coach Brent Konkle said. "We made so many mental errors. And we're back to our old selves hitting again &emdash; we're not. I don't know what's wrong with us. Hopewell really hit the ball tonight; they're the top offense in the league. I didn't think Jackie (Chester) pitched a bad game. We just didn't play very good defense behind her.

"We're not bagging the league race, but with two losses it's going to be real tough to make any ground."

A wild pitch and error handed Hopewell-Loudon two more runs in the fourth before Mohawk made a run. Jaclyn Tooley knocked in a run with a double, while a wild pitch and error gave way to two more Warrior runs in the inning.

But that would be the extent of things. Reinhart retired the final six Mohawk batters in order while Kate Gase added some cushion with a longball in the sixth.