Ironmen eliminated from playoffs after loss to Bulldogs

By Brandon Paul
For The Daily Item

May 13, 2008 05:42 am

— DANVILLE -- Errors have plagued the Danville Ironmen all season long. And errors finally did the squad in, eliminating them from contention for a District 4 playoff berth.
Five Ironmen errors contributed directly to three Jersey Shore runs, as the Bulldogs used a three-run fifth inning to break open a 4-4 tie, ultimately rolling to a 9-4 Susquehanna Valley League victory.
The Bulldogs (11-6, 10-5 SVL) were without head coach Dan Lazorka, who was serving a one-game suspension after being ejected from the team's previous contest for disputing a call.
"I was very impressed with the way our team played," Jersey Shore assistant coach Jerry Ulsamer said. "We got down early, but after a few innings, we put up some hits."
Pitcher Brooke Koch led off the crucial fifth-inning rally with a single to center, followed by a bunt single from pinch-hitter Lorya Haas. Chrissy Lauer singled over second base to plate Koch, and the relay throw home went wild, advancing the runners another bag. Danville (7-11, 7-9) starter Angie Lynn then fanned Britany Nelson, one of her five K's on the afternoon, before pinch-hitter Megan Stevenson cranked an 0-1 pitch down the third base line, scoring Haas and Lauer for a 7-4 Jersey Shore lead.
"Those were some nice hits (by Haas and Stevenson)," Ulsamer said. "Haas laid down a real nice bunt. She's been very consistent with that drag bunt all year."
Lynn held the Bulldogs hitless through the first three innings, but two Ironmen fielding errors gave Jersey Shore 1-0 lead entering the bottom half of the third inning.
Danville rallied for all four of its runs in that stanza, highlighted by a Rachel Leister grounder that eluded the Bulldogs infielders and scored courtesy runner Sara Rine, and a two-run single to right by Carrie Mensch.
The Ironmen watched their three-run lead evaporate in the fourth, as Nelson broke up Lynn's no-hitter with the first of her two singles.
After Jody Bower singled, an error at third allowed Nelson and Bower to score, slicing Danville's lead to just one. Rebecca Glenn tied the game with an RBI single over short and the ensuing wild throw moved her along to second.
"(Errors) have been the story of our season," said Danville coach Dwayne Heeter, whose squad was playing without injured starters Katie Mazol and Sarah Mullen. "We might actually have more errors than hits.
"It's disappointing, because we are a quality team. We just can't put it all together."
Despite the rocky fourth inning, Koch, only a sophomore, held the Ironmen without a hit, let alone a run, over the final four innings of play as the Bulldogs increased their lead.
"(Koch) has a lot of pitches, but she had to get settled down (early)," Ulsamer said. "The key for her was hitting the right spots, working inside and out on the plate."
Koch went the distance for Jersey Shore, allowing just three hits, fanning seven, with four walks.
Sharae Brooks doubled and scored in the sixth and Nelson singled Lauer home off Danville reliever Carrie Mensch in the seventh for the final 9-4 margin. Brooks' double was the only extra-base hit of the game.
"Right now, it's been a long season for us," Heeter said. "Young kids will make mistakes.
"We can't make the playoffs, so we just need to play hard these last two games, and build for next year."

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