Softball: Hickory clinches tie for Southeastern title behind hitting, pitching of Gniadek

CHESAPEAKE

Jitters and Jenn got the best of Great Bridge Thursday when the Wildcats hosted Hickory in the second meeting of the area’s No. 1 and No. 2 softball teams.

The Hawks managed only three hits against Great Bridge, but an uncharacteristic five errors by the Wildcats and a two-run homer by winning pitcher Jenn Gniadek were the difference as top-ranked and unbeaten Hickory posted a 4-2 victory that clinched at least a tie for the Southeastern District regular-season championship.

“I think the girls came in a little over-hyped for this one,” said Great Bridge coach Kirk Clayton after his team (16-2 overall, 14-2 district) lost ito the Hawks (18-0, 16-0) for the second time this season. “It’s rare that we even make two errors. We really kicked the ball around.

“You can’t give a team like Hickory with a pitcher like Jenn extra outs.”

But Hickory was happy to take them.

Two errors allowed the Hawks to score a run in the first inning without the benefit of a hit and an error in the second contributed to another run as the visitors took a 2-0 lead.

“We come into every game with a plan,” said Hickory leadoff hitter Rachel West, who scored the first run after opening the game with a walk and helped make the second run possible by bunting a ball that was muffed by Great Bridge pitcher Chelsea Henline. “You pay attention to what happens and when they make mistakes, you take advantage of them.”

Hickory couldn’t help but notice that Henline had mishandled a bunt by Emily Ambrous that allowed West to score in the first inning.

”I wouldn’t say that I could see they were nervous,” said Gniadek, who pitched a three-hitter, allowed no earned runs, struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter. “But the pressure was definitely on them in this game,.and so …”

The Hawks made the Wildcats pay for Henline’s second miscue when Jaclyn Quinn followed West’s bunt with an absolutely perfect bunt that scored Darlene Deacon, who had doubled to start the inning.

Great Bridge closed to within 2-1 in the third with some help from Hickory. Deacon over-ran a hard grounder hit to right field by Noelle Rogers, allowing her to wind up on third base. Elizabeth Sterling then hit a sacrifice fly to right.

It stayed that way until Gniadek walloped a pitch over the left field fence with Quinn on base for a 4-1 lead.

”It was an inside fastball,” Gniadek said of her third homer of the season. “I was just trying to hit it somewhere.”

The Wildcats rallied for another run in the seventh when Kristen Cheesebrew reached on an error, stole second and scored on two infield outs. But Gniadek closed out the game with a strikeout and the celebration began.

”Clinching a tie for the championship on this field is really special,” said Hickory coach Ryan Wieck. “There’s a boatload of seniors on this team and it’s the second year in a row we won it here.

“Also, the prom is tomorrow and it will be nice for the girls to go knowing we already have the title in hand.”