College softball: Harper ousted from postseason after close calls

After a couple of close calls, the Harper College softball team's season came to an end Saturday.

First, top seed Rock Valley College collected a 3-0 victory against Harper in a brisk 2-hour, 9-minute contest. That sent the Hawks into a must-win situation against Joliet Junior College in the NJCAA Region IV tournament's double-elimination format.

In the first game, a suicide squeeze from Rock Valley's Morgan Robb gave her team a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning. The Golden Eagles got a couple of insurance runs, and Olivia Fluehr struck out 10.

"Their pitcher did her job," said Harper coach Scott Plaza.

With two outs in the seventh inning, the Hawks (19-25) got their only hit when Kim Labahn (Hersey) singled.

Labahn, who was coming off an ankle injury, also pitched for Harper and fared quite well.

"I was nervous," said Labahn, who allowed 5 hits in a complete-game effort. "I wanted to shut them down."

Against Joliet, Harper gave up an early run as Paige Guerrero scored on a Catherine Price hit. Joliet got another run on a squeeze in the sixth inning, which turned out to be important.

Harper's Jessica Theis (Palatine) scored on a double in the seventh inning, but the Hawks fell short 2-1.

Labahn allowed 4 hits and struck out two with 1 walk.

"Pitching is going to keep you in every game," said Plaza. "All these game were low-scoring - we just couldn't get the timely hit."

The outcomes left Plaza hoping they would serve as a kind of off-season incentive to keep working hard.

"Losing 3-0 and 2-1 in the regional tournament," he said, "keeps you hungry."