Softball: Jacobs falls to Harlem
Jacobs softball coach Katie O' Brien just needed to take a quick glance at the left on base statistic to find out why her sixth-seeded Golden Eagles dropped a 5-1 decision to No. 3 seed Harlem in semifinal action of the Class 4A Huntley regional Thursday.
"We just didn't execute," said O' Brien. "We did a good job of getting baserunners but we just couldn't get the timely hit."
Harlem (22-8) advances to play second-seeded and host Huntley Friday for the regional title beginning at 4:30 p.m. Jacobs ended the season 9-13.
Leaving the bases loaded twice and stranding 8 runners for the game, Jacobs couldn't take advantage of 5 walks and 2 hit by batters by winning pitcher Elle Adams.
In the fourth, Jacobs scored its only run of the game on a bases-loaded walk by Jessica Mrziak. But the Golden Eagles couldn't add any more runs and left the bases loaded.
Teaghan Richman, who had both of the Golden Eagles' hits, led off the sixth with a single. Both Alexis Addante and Mrziak were hit by a pitch to load the bases, but again the Eagles couldn't score.
Adams, who wiggled out of bases loaded jams twice, struck out 8.
"Elle got herself in some trouble with walks and a couple hit by batters, but she really pitched great when she had to," said Harlem coach Jen Corwin. "She did a wonderful job of mixing her pitches. Jacobs has a very good hitting team so it is impressive to hold them to one run.
Megan Johnson provided all the offensive fireworks the Huskies needed with a 2-run homer in the second and a 3-run shot in the sixth.
"Megan has been a long ball threat all season for us," said Corwin. "She always gets good swings at the plate and she really came up big today."
Olivia Penney added a 3-for-3 effort for the winners with a double and 2 runs scored.
Despite the homers from Johnson, Brittany Feldmann pitched a solid game for the Golden Eagles. In 6 innings, she gave up 5 runs on 8 hits. The Jacobs junior hurler struck out 2 with 2 walks.
"Brittany got better as the season goes on," said O' Brien. "The thing I liked today was when she gave up the homers she has the ability to bounce back and get the next hitters out."