Lefkowski’s home run helps Northwestern outlast Shepaug

WINSTED — Near the end of the regular season, it’s hard to imagine a better mutual tune-up for the upcoming state tournaments than Northwestern’s 4-0 win over Shepaug Valley Friday afternoon at Northwestern High School.

Two of the Berkshire League’s best pitchers — Northwestern’s Anna Jabs and Shepaug’s Amelia Jacob — held each other at bay for three innings.

Highlander star RaeLynn Perregaux (3-for-3, double) manufactured a run in the fourth inning on a hit, error, stolen base and ground-out that looked like it might (and did) win the game.

Then, after striking out in her first two at-bats, Northwestern’s Lexi Lefkowski slammed a threerun homer to the right field fence in the fifth inning to put the game out of reach.

“I worked on my timing,” said the Highlander slugger.

Each pitcher rang up 10 strikeouts, limiting opponents to two hits apiece through those first four innings.

Northwestern coach Stacey Zematis saw it as an opportunity to work on bunting against tournament-caliber pitching. “We’re still working on it,” she smiled.

“Northwestern has been a great team in this league for years,” said former Spartan assistant coach Heidi Johnson who moved up to head coach this year. “We have no reason to hang our heads over this one.”

Lessons learned facing great pitching in tight situations is valuable tournament practice, but so was the tight league situation facing each team Friday.

Northwestern (16-2 overall, 12-1 in the BL) split its two games with BL coleader Nonnewaug (15-2; 9-1 BL). With just one more league game on their schedule, the Highlanders

couldn’t afford to lose Friday.

Shepaug (now 11-4; 8-3 BL), came into the game with just two league losses, against each of the league leaders, in position to force a three-way tie for the league title with a win on Friday and another one next Wednesday, in its final regular season game, at Nonnewaug.

The Spartans started Friday’s game as if they might hit the first step in their quest. Leadoff batter Marissa Perachi (2-for-3) chopped an infield single. With two strikes on second batter Rachel Hoffman, Jabs nicked her with a pitch.

Two on, no outs.

“( Jabs) doesn’t get rattled,” said Coach Zematis. “She’s a real key to our success.”

“I like facing good batters,” said Jabs. “It keeps me more focused.

Jabs struck out the next three Spartans in order and never faced another serious threat in spite of a two-out double by Shepaug freshman Peyton Ongley in the second inning and one more hit by Perachi in the sixth.

Meanwhile, though, Shepaug’s Jacob, another Spartan freshman, faced a similar dilemma in the bottom of the first. With two outs, Perregaux turned a fly ball to short right field into a double, followed by a walk to Kyla Stevenson.

Third baseman Emma O’Dwyer, one more Spartan freshman, handled a soft

line drive for the third out and Jacob, like Jabs, sailed through the next two innings.

But Perregaux led off the fourth inning with a single to right field, then took another base on the game’s only error.

“We stayed away from ( Jacob’s) high pitches,” agreed Perregaux and Ava Hampton, with two solid flies to the outfield before that.

This time, Perregaux seized one more base on a steal and came home on a ground-out to third by Skylar Kelly.

The fifth-inning breakout came on sheer Highlander force.

Izzy Nelthropp drew a walk between two Jacob strikeouts. Hampton scorched a double down the third base line. Lefkowski found her timing on the first pitch from Jacob.

Northwestern takes its experience to the Class M State Tournament after cheering for the Spartans in next Wednesday’s game at Nonnewaug.

Regardless of Wednesday’s outcome, the young Spartans move on to Class S with their heads held high.

Peter Wallace / For Hearst Connecticut Media Northwestern pitcher Anna Jabs was at her best in Friday's must-win game with Shepaug Valley.