Hohman loses no-hitter, bears down for win

Superstition has it that you don't mention a no-hitter still in the works.

Thinking about it cost Colleen Hohman.

"I think that was my problem," Hohman said. "I got it in my head that I had a no-hitter. On the pitching mound it's a mental game. If you get things like that in your head, you're toast."

A one-out single in the seventh broke up Hohman's no-hitter, but the Neuqua Valley junior worked out of a late jam to preserve a 1-0 win over Waubonsie Valley on Wednesday.

Hohman (8-2), who struck out a season-high 16 batters, had allowed just a fifth-inning walk until Warriors freshman Jen Faassen drew a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh. After a strikeout Becky Horton lined a 1-0 changeup into left for a single.

"It's a good pitch," Hohman said, "and then I hang it and they hit it."

A pitch in the dirt moved both runners up, but Hohman bore down to strike out the last two batters.

"Of course my heart was racing," Hohman said, "but sometimes I just get mad that I let that happen. It makes me buckle down more and hit my spots."

Hohman, who bested her 15 strikeouts against Streamwood and threw her fourth shutout of the year, retired the game's first 14 batters, 11 by strikeout.

Coincidentally, the changeup that cost her the no-hitter was the putaway pitch for many of the strikeouts.

"That's something we talk about a lot, is getting ahead of hitters and having her changeup work," Neuqua coach Michelle Schmidt said. "Today it really did and that made all the difference."

Waubonsie Valley's Lauren Thresh matched Hohman for three innings, retiring Neuqua slugger Jenna Marsalli with the bases loaded and two outs in the third.

Neuqua (10-4, 7-2 Upstate Eight Conference) finally nicked Thresh for an unearned run in the fourth. Hohman reached on an infield error leading off, and Leigh Nebendahl doubled in the run.

Thresh (3-5), who came in riding three straight shutouts, struck out seven for the Warriors (6-13, 4-5).

"She really wanted to pitch this game, at least that was the impression I got," Warriors coach Kris Kalivas said. "She worked real hard in the off-season and has made some great strides from last year. We're not losing because of the way she's throwing. We beat ourselves today."

Neuqua has now won five in a row since a four-game losing streak and can tie St. Charles East for the conference lead with a win over the Saints today. St. Charles East beat Neuqua 13 days ago.

"We are so pumped for that game," Hohman said.