By RICHARD TORRES
For The Reporter
ELWOOD – The stage was set for a sixth-straight win Friday night.
Hamilton Heights’ junior Lily Roush struck out 14 batters over 9.0 innings, and the Huskies scored first to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the third at Julie Johnson Memorial Field, but host Elwood simply capitalized.
With no outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Elwood Panthers (3-4) loaded the bases with a leadoff single, a bunt single and a fielder’s choice bunt before a caught foul-ball down the third-base line in deep left field gave the Panthers an opportunity to tag up and walk off a 3-2 victory.
The nine-inning loss halted Hamilton Heights’ win streak, which was previously punctuated by out-scoring its opponents 58-6 in the previous five contests prior to Friday.
“We only gave them three runs in nine innings, and we pitched well enough and played enough defense to win, but we have to get more than two runs,” Huskies head coach Ken Olovich said.
“This team has great potential to go a long way this year, and it’s going to come from us putting the ball in play, and we’re going to do that. We’re going to make those adjustments.”
After a two-run third inning, the Huskies (8-4) were held to two hits and four overall.
In the third, a one-out double by Lily Cash put the Huskies in position. A two-out walk drawn by Roush put two runners on, and a two-run double by Kaylee Rhoton put the Huskies ahead 2-0.
Afterwards, however, the Huskies could only counter Elwood’s pitching tandem with a single by Izzy Morrow in the fourth and a hit by Roush (1-for-2) in the fifth.
“We had an opportunity to take advantage of key situations that we missed, but in high school ball, you play quite a mix of good pitchers and pitchers that are more middle ground, and you have to adjust. We have to make those adjustments,” Olovich said.
“Part of being a good hitter is hitting the ball where you like it. Being a great hitter is hitting the ball where they like it. That’s the difference, and we’re going to make that transition from good hitters to great hitters.”
The Huskies plated two runs against Elwood (3-4) with ace Olivia Shannon in the circle. Shannon retired six consecutive before the Huskies broke through with their rally.
Shannon minimized the damage with six strikeouts through 4.0 innings, and Elwood reliever Alivia Boston finished the final 5.0 innings with one hit allowed, six strikeouts and one walk.
Boston retired the final 11 batters she faced over the final four innings pitched.
Elwood’s order didn’t fare much better against Roush, who tamed the Panthers in 2 of 3 bases loaded situations, including in the bottom of the seventh.
A two-run, no-out double by Elwood frosh Averi Savage in the bottom of the seventh tied the game 2-2, but Roush ended a bases loaded scenario with her 12th strikeout.
Elwood stranded 11 base runners. Seven were in scoring position.
“(Roush is) a strong D-I caliber pitcher, and it’s always nice to know, no matter who we go up against, we’re always going to be in the game,” Olovich said. “Nobody is going to blow us up. We’re always going to be in the game.”
A mental error proved costly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and no outs. Elwood frosh Kelsey Armes took a 2-2 offering down the third-base line and into deep left field, which was caught and gave Savage enough time to tag up and score the winning run before the throw reached home plate.
“We needed communication on that and let her know it’s a foul ball. Yeah, you want to drop the foul ball in that circumstance. Obviously, I want my player to make the play, but I don’t think we communicated enough to let her know it was a foul ball,” Olovich said.
Cash, Roush, Izzy Morrow and Rhoton accounted for Hamilton Heights’ four hits. Roush reached base three times – twice on walks – and Hailey Hall and Taya Trosper also worked for walks.
Entering their game with Class 2A Elwood, which was originally scheduled as a home game for the 3A Huskies, Olovich’s hitters swept Hoosier Conference foe Tipton, 18-5 and 10-0, and beat Eastbrook, 11-0. They also routed Sheridan, 10-0, and defeated Monroe Central, 9-1.
“We’re a very young team. We start one senior, and it’s again, it’s a journey from being good hitters to great hitters,” Olovich said.
The Huskies host 11th-ranked 3A Yorktown on Monday before facing Northwestern on the road this Tuesday for a two-game conference series.
ELWOOD 3, HAMILTON HEIGHTS 2
(9 innings)
Heights AB R H RBI
Lily Cash 4 1 1 0
Hailey Hall 3 0 0 0
Lily Roush 2 1 1 0
Kaylee Rhoton 4 0 1 2
Melanee Forrester 4 0 0 0
Taya Trosper 3 0 0 0
Isabel Morrow 4 0 1 0
Morgan Ottinger 4 0 0 0
Emma Blanton 2 0 0 0
Natalie Newman 1 0 0 0
Totals 31 2 4 2
Score by innings
Heights 002 000 000 – 2 4 1
Elwood 000 000 201 – 3 10 0
2B: Cash, Rhoton. SB: Morrow 2, Hall, Roush, Trosper.
Heights pitching IP R ER H
Roush 8.1 3 3 10
Strikeouts: Roush 14. Walks: Roush 4.