Hawks blank Chesapeake in Region XX tourney

May 06, 2007|By JACK HILL III

WILLIAMSPORT - Top-seeded Hagerstown Community College is one of three teams still alive after Saturday's Region XX Softball Tournament action at Kemps Mill Park.

The Hawks cruised to a five-inning, 10-0 victory over fourth-seeded Chesapeake in the second round.

Everybody in the batting order hit safely for HCC (29-4). Nina Chiaruttini and Ashley Arentz each finished 3-for-3.

"Our team played really well together," Chiaruttini said. "Our team hit the ball down and that is what we have been trying to do all year. It was exciting to get out on top early in the tournament. Our goal is to get to the national tournament, and we are going to get there playing like that."

Teonna Jewell added two hits for the Hawks.

The offense made life easy on Samantha Koehl (14-3), who tossed a five-hit shutout and struck out seven.

Adrienne Munoz led off the first inning with a single to left, stole second and scored on Faline Brown's single to center.

The Hawks added four runs in the second to build their lead to 5-0. They loaded the bases with no outs and cleared them when Jewell reached on a three-base outfield error. Jewell scored on the same play on a throwing error.

"We came out strong from the start," HCC coach David Brooks said. "We hit the ball hard and we kept it out of the air. We were aggressive on the basepaths."

The Hawks added two runs in the third, which included an RBI triple by Jewell. HCC got its final three runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Kasie Beaver, Ashley Arentz and Chiaruttini.

In first-round elimination games earlier Saturday, No. 3-seed Frederick defeated No. 6-seed Dundalk 8-7 and Chesapeake topped No. 5-seed Harford, 6-1. HCC had a bye into the second round.

With the field narrowed to four teams, the tournament switched to double-elimination. In addition to the Hawks' victory, Catonsville edged Frederick 4-3 before Frederick eliminated Chesapeake in a losers' bracket game, 9-8.

HCC and Catonsville will play in today's winners' bracket final at 9 a.m. The loser will play Frederick in the losers' bracket final at 11, with the winner playing the remaining undefeated team in the championship round at 1 p.m. If another game is necessary, it will be played at 3.

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