Continental makes plays to blank Jefferson

VAN WERT - There was nothing overpowering or intimidating about Continental's 4-0 win over Delphos Jefferson in a Division IV softball sectional final.

Just efficient.

The Pirates came away with only three hits, but two of them went for extra bases. They also benefited from four Jefferson errors.

"The hits came at key times," said Continental coach Tim Eding, who shares head coaching duties with Jordan Streicher. "All year we've told our girls, you hit the ball hard, good things will happen."

Continental's first hit came in the third inning. To open the inning, Kyleigh Holtsberry reached on a full-count walk and Megan Tehark came aboard on an error. Next up was Janelle Doenges, who blasted a 2-0 pitch to right field. The ball rolled to the fence when the right fielder dove and missed the catch.

Holtsberry and Tehark easily reached home. Once she rounded first, Doenges watched Streicher at third base, waiting for his sign. When Streicher sent her home, she was excited.

"When he sent me home, I knew I had to put the wheels on a little faster because I knew the ball would be coming," Doenges said.

Eding said, "We told each other before the game that, as coaches, we needed to be aggressive when we had people on."

Two innings later, another deep bomb to right drove the final stake into the Wildcats. With one out and down two strikes, Jessica Brown hit a triple to right, scoring Doenges. Doenges reached on a single, stole second and went to third on an error.

The Pirates had to shuffle the deck when No. 1 pitcher Jessica Hanefeld took a line drive off of her forehead Tuesday against Leipsic. Sophomore Kyleigh Holtsberry, now 5-1 on the year, stepped into the start.

Eding and Streicher were hopeful Hanefeld would be available Tuesday, when the Pirates (16-4) face Crestview in a district semifinal at 5 p.m. at Lincolnview.

While Hanefeld is a flame-thrower, Holtsberry certainly is not, though the change of pace seemed to nudge the Jefferson batters off-balance. Holtsberry gave up only two hits while walking four batters and fanning two.

"I knew I had a good defense behind be, so I just had to throw," Holtsberry said. "I definitely think they weren't used to a facing a slower pitcher like me."

The lone bright spot for the Wildcats (11-9) was senior pitcher Shauna Bowers. The right hander struck out 12 batters and walked just one.

"She was right there," Jefferson coach Brad Rostorfer said. "They're bound to get a hit off you now and then, so you have to be ready to make a play."