Tigers Stop Plymouth's Streak
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Craig Helfrich opened a newspaper and read the story, the one about Plymouth's 29 straight wins in the Northern Lakes Conference.
The Warsaw coach had one message for his softball team before Tuesday's home game against Plymouth: End the streak and show people our program is good, too.
The Tigers did, edging the Pilgrims 2-1. Plymouth last lost a Northern Lakes Conference game in 1997. One girl, pitcher Lisa Mattke, provided 26 of the wins, but she now starts at third base for Indiana University.
"We came into the season feeling as if we were still the team to beat because we won the conference last year," Plymouth coach Kevin Gardner said.
"It was quite a streak. All these kids weren't even here when it started."
Warsaw improved to 9-4 overall and 6-0 in the NLC, while Plymouth fell to 6-5 overall and 3-1 in the conference.
"In order to win the conference, you gotta go through Plymouth," Helfrich said. "They've dominated the conference the last three or four years. At the coaches' meeting before the season, everyone predicted it would come down to us and Plymouth.
"It's a huge win for our program. It shows Warsaw has a good, quality softball program."
Warsaw junior right-handed starter Michelle Liebsch (4-3) tossed a no-hitter for five innings en route to picking up the complete-game win. She struck out 13, walked none and allowed three hits.
"I used to go into games thinking about (no-hitters)," Liebsch said, "but then I would become so concerned when they would hit the ball. So I don't do it anymore."
Plymouth junior right-hander Nicole Tinkey was the tough-luck loser. She allowed two hits, walked none and struck out seven in a complete-game outing. Both runs were unearned. Plymouth's run was unearned as well, allowing the Tigers to maintain their 0.00 ERA in NLC games. Combining with Liebsch on the ERA is sophomore Ashley Wyatt (5-1). Warsaw's ERA 13 games into the season is a microscopic 0.74.
Jacquie Burns provided all the offense Warsaw needed with a two-out, first-inning double that drove in both runs.
The Tigers were able to score these two runs only with the help of Plymouth. Warsaw lead-off hitter Kris Kurosky started the bottom of the first by reaching first when Plymouth shortstop Nicole Cox fielded a routine grounder but then overthrew the ball to first base. The next hitter, Amie Poling, simply wanted to sacrifice Kurosky to second with a bunt, but she reached first when Tinkey booted the weak grounder.
The two hitters stayed perched on first and second as the next two hitters recorded outs without advancing the runners. But Burns made sure the Tigers didn't throw away a gift inning when she stroked a double to the left-center gap. More importantly, she put the pressure squarely on Plymouth as the Pilgrims would have to score at least three runs against a Warsaw team that has allowed no earned runs in the NLC.
"Burns was due for a hit," Helfrich said. "She's a good hitter, but she was in a slump recently. She came through in a clutch situation. Who knew then two would be enough?"
The story for the next five innings was the pitching duel between Liebsch and Tinkey. Liebsch coaxed the Pilgrims into chasing her high fastball that was a ball -Êthe batters often flailed away at eye-level pitches -Êas she struck out 10 through five innings. She retired 15 straight before Lauren Fry opened the sixth with a single. Tinkey matched Liebsch pitch for pitch. After Burns' double, Tinkey allowed one more hit, a third-inning single by Himes.
Liebsch's only stumble came in the seventh. Andrea Bunton started the inning off with a single. One out later, Katie Sikorski reached first when Liebsch fielded a grounder but delivered a low throw to first base that skipped by first baseman Ryann Jones. Brooke Fulton singled into center to drive in Bunton for Plymouth's first run.
A passed ball sent Sikorski to third and Fulton to second, but Liebsch and the Tigers escaped with the 2-1 win when Fry ended the game by flying out to center.
"We jumped on them early, but then we almost gave it to them," Helfrich said. "If Michelle makes the play, we're not in a jam. But she pitched her way out of it."
After a slow start, the Pilgrim bats started making noise. The third time through the lineup, the Pilgrims showed better patience at the plate.
"As long as we stayed off the high strike, we were fine," Gardner said, "but it took us almost the whole game to make (Liebsch) bring it down."
While the Tigers are 6-0 in the NLC now, they are far away from clinching. NLC teams play each other twice, so the 6-0 Tigers still have six games to go, including a future game at Plymouth.
"Now the challenge is to go through the next six games and hold court," Helfrich said. "We're ahead in the conference. We control our destiny." [[In-content Ad]]
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Craig Helfrich opened a newspaper and read the story, the one about Plymouth's 29 straight wins in the Northern Lakes Conference.
The Warsaw coach had one message for his softball team before Tuesday's home game against Plymouth: End the streak and show people our program is good, too.
The Tigers did, edging the Pilgrims 2-1. Plymouth last lost a Northern Lakes Conference game in 1997. One girl, pitcher Lisa Mattke, provided 26 of the wins, but she now starts at third base for Indiana University.
"We came into the season feeling as if we were still the team to beat because we won the conference last year," Plymouth coach Kevin Gardner said.
"It was quite a streak. All these kids weren't even here when it started."
Warsaw improved to 9-4 overall and 6-0 in the NLC, while Plymouth fell to 6-5 overall and 3-1 in the conference.
"In order to win the conference, you gotta go through Plymouth," Helfrich said. "They've dominated the conference the last three or four years. At the coaches' meeting before the season, everyone predicted it would come down to us and Plymouth.
"It's a huge win for our program. It shows Warsaw has a good, quality softball program."
Warsaw junior right-handed starter Michelle Liebsch (4-3) tossed a no-hitter for five innings en route to picking up the complete-game win. She struck out 13, walked none and allowed three hits.
"I used to go into games thinking about (no-hitters)," Liebsch said, "but then I would become so concerned when they would hit the ball. So I don't do it anymore."
Plymouth junior right-hander Nicole Tinkey was the tough-luck loser. She allowed two hits, walked none and struck out seven in a complete-game outing. Both runs were unearned. Plymouth's run was unearned as well, allowing the Tigers to maintain their 0.00 ERA in NLC games. Combining with Liebsch on the ERA is sophomore Ashley Wyatt (5-1). Warsaw's ERA 13 games into the season is a microscopic 0.74.
Jacquie Burns provided all the offense Warsaw needed with a two-out, first-inning double that drove in both runs.
The Tigers were able to score these two runs only with the help of Plymouth. Warsaw lead-off hitter Kris Kurosky started the bottom of the first by reaching first when Plymouth shortstop Nicole Cox fielded a routine grounder but then overthrew the ball to first base. The next hitter, Amie Poling, simply wanted to sacrifice Kurosky to second with a bunt, but she reached first when Tinkey booted the weak grounder.
The two hitters stayed perched on first and second as the next two hitters recorded outs without advancing the runners. But Burns made sure the Tigers didn't throw away a gift inning when she stroked a double to the left-center gap. More importantly, she put the pressure squarely on Plymouth as the Pilgrims would have to score at least three runs against a Warsaw team that has allowed no earned runs in the NLC.
"Burns was due for a hit," Helfrich said. "She's a good hitter, but she was in a slump recently. She came through in a clutch situation. Who knew then two would be enough?"
The story for the next five innings was the pitching duel between Liebsch and Tinkey. Liebsch coaxed the Pilgrims into chasing her high fastball that was a ball -Êthe batters often flailed away at eye-level pitches -Êas she struck out 10 through five innings. She retired 15 straight before Lauren Fry opened the sixth with a single. Tinkey matched Liebsch pitch for pitch. After Burns' double, Tinkey allowed one more hit, a third-inning single by Himes.
Liebsch's only stumble came in the seventh. Andrea Bunton started the inning off with a single. One out later, Katie Sikorski reached first when Liebsch fielded a grounder but delivered a low throw to first base that skipped by first baseman Ryann Jones. Brooke Fulton singled into center to drive in Bunton for Plymouth's first run.
A passed ball sent Sikorski to third and Fulton to second, but Liebsch and the Tigers escaped with the 2-1 win when Fry ended the game by flying out to center.
"We jumped on them early, but then we almost gave it to them," Helfrich said. "If Michelle makes the play, we're not in a jam. But she pitched her way out of it."
After a slow start, the Pilgrim bats started making noise. The third time through the lineup, the Pilgrims showed better patience at the plate.
"As long as we stayed off the high strike, we were fine," Gardner said, "but it took us almost the whole game to make (Liebsch) bring it down."
While the Tigers are 6-0 in the NLC now, they are far away from clinching. NLC teams play each other twice, so the 6-0 Tigers still have six games to go, including a future game at Plymouth.
"Now the challenge is to go through the next six games and hold court," Helfrich said. "We're ahead in the conference. We control our destiny." [[In-content Ad]]