Hansen's big day gives Larkin season sweep of Elgin
Sarah Hansen couldn't have been more ready.
The day after picking up Larkin High School's Peg Gannon Sportsmanship Award at senior awards banquet, Hansen was selected as her team's starting pitcher against intracity rival Elgin.
That's plenty of motivation and Hansen didn't disappoint, turning in her best pitching performance of the season, scattering 3 hits in a 1-0 shutout of the Maroons.
How dominating was Hansen?
She retired 10 of the first 11 hitters she faced, struck out 4 and squelched potential Elgin game-tying rallies in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Hansen even played a hand in driving in the only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth, with a single that was eventually plated by courtesy runner Jocelyn Jimenez.
Her efforts improved the Royals to 5-19 overall and 4-11 in the Upstate Eight, but perhaps more importantly, allowed her team to sweep the Maroons this season.
"She came out here today, and I said, 'Sarah, are you ready for this?' " said Larkin coach Anne Vogt. "We kind of do a rotation with our pitching, and it wasn't her day, but this is a game she lives for.
"I knew she was going to be flying high today, so we went with her, and it wasn't a bad decision, obviously. She's got a lot of pride, and when we're facing the crosstown rival, she's going to bring her best."
From the outset Tuesday, it looked to be Hansen's day. She gave up only an infield hit by Elgin's Destiny West in the first three innings, and issued single walks in the fourth and fifth frames that were stranded.
In the bottom of the fifth, she singled sharply to right field off Maroons' starter Jessica Rago, and was replaced by the speedy Jimenez, who promptly moved to second base on a wild pitch, then to third on a sacrifice bunt by Danielle Newquist. Sam Wahl then drove Jimenez in with a groundout to second.
Armed with a one-run lead, Hansen took the hill in the top of the sixth and was greeted rudely by Elgin's Sabrina Stockman, who doubled off the center-field wall. But she then coaxed three straight flyouts to Madison Latham, Rago and West.
With the game on the line in the top of the seventh, Hansen gave up a bunt single to Jenna Lombardo, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rachel Turner. But she ended the game by getting pinch hitter Ayanna Herrera to pop out to second baseman Beka Harrington.
What was Hansen's secret Tuesday?
"It's a lot of me working together with (catcher) Sophie (Young)," Hansen said. "She calls the pitches and today she was calling a really good game. There is a rhythm, and that has a lot to do with communication with Sophie."
Wahl paced Larkin offensively by going 2-for-3 with a single, double and an RBI.
"It's definitely a good win - always happy to beat our rivals," said Wahl, who ended Elgin's sixth by retiring West on a high fly ball into the swirling wind.
"It's really a big win for us, because we can take that momentum into the next two weeks, and we have regionals coming up so it will be good to thing for us to take our confidence into that," Hansen added.
Across the diamond, Elgin coach Dr. Nick Bumbales lamented the fact that his own starting pitcher had a pretty terrific outing as well. Rago gave up just 5 hits, struck out 11 and walked none.
"She's been pitching really well," said Bumbales, whose team fell to 3-22 overall and 2-14 in the Upstate Eight. "We just haven't hit the combination of defense and offense to support her.
"Both teams played pretty good defense today, both girls pitched well. The wind blew in and we're a flyball team, and when the wind is blowing in, that's not good for a flyball team."
Stockman, West and Lombardo all went 1-for-3 for the Maroons.