Amber Alert: Lemberg Leads Wawasee To Sectional Win
Posted
Mark Howe-mhowe@timesuniononline.com
BENTON – In a sectional opener where the Wawasee offense wasn’t hitting on all cylinders, junior pitcher Amber Lemberg came up big in the circle for the lady Warriors. Lemberg struck out 10 and was the end player on a game-ending double play in Wawasee’s 4-1 victory over West Noble in the Class 3A Fairfield Sectional Monday night. “She pitched well,” Wawasee head coach Jared Knipper said. “But that’s something we know we can count on.” West Noble’s last gasp rally in the seventh inning began by getting runners at second and third, and the tying run at the plate with one out. The game ended when catcher Graceanne Kerlin had a ball get away from her on a third strike to Becky Yoder. Kerlin threw out Yoder at first, and Kaylie Warble broke for home. Lemberg alertly covered the plate, caught the return throw from first baseman Meghan Fretz, and tagged Warble for the final out. All four Wawasee runs scored after two were out, and only once did the Lady Warriors’ leadoff hitter reach base. Wawasee scored a pair of unearned runs in the first inning. Kylee Rostochak singled to left, and Allissa Flores’ fly ball was dropped for a two-base error that sent Rostochak home. Fretz then lined a two-strike pitch back up the middle to score Flores. The Lady Chargers answered in their half of the first when Ashley Strombeck stroked a two-out double to left center. Audrey Fulford then singled, and the throw home easily beat courtesy runner Angela Gross to the plate, but Kerlin made hard contact with Gross and dropped the ball. “We’ll chalk that one up to rookie nerves,” said Knipper. “The ball came in and she tried to lay a hard tag on the kid and she didn’t need to. She just needed to tap her and move on, but she tried to plant one on her and the ball popped out. “From what I could see, she had both hands on the glove, I’m not even real sure how it popped out. She knows for next time, when the runner is out by 30 feet, just stand in the way and tap them.” The score stayed 2-1 until two outs in the top of the fifth, when Flores smacked a long home run over the left-centerfield fence. Wawasee added an insurance run in the seventh on Kayla White’s double and Fretz’s RBI single that fell between center, shortstop and second base. “The middle part of our lineup has been clutch all year. Fretz, Flores and usually (Danielle) Gunkel, who had an off night tonight,” Knipper said. “But when we have someone on second, someone has to come up with (the big hit), and they did tonight. So while Knipper would like to see his team swing the bats better, ultimately the Lady Warriors came away with the goal for the day. “At this point in the year it’s ‘just win.’ and we got the win. I hope we have a better showing (today) against whoever we play.” Wawasee (23-5) gets to play Northern Lakes Conference foe NorthWood, an 11-1 winner over Tippecanoe Valley in Monday’s second game. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. today.
