Cheasapeake-AA takes region crown
Big 4th inning, Nutile’s poised pitching propel Cougars
The record will show the Chesapeake-Anne Arundel softball team claimed a seemingly handy 5-1 win over visiting Stephen Decatur with senior star pitcher Jerzie Nutile throwing a one-hitter to claim the Class 3A South Region II on Saturday in Pasadena.
But the victory wasn’t as easy as it appeared and the Cougars (13-1), who are on their way to the state tournament, liked it that way.
After surrendering the game’s first run in the top of the third, the home team answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame. After permitting base runners and working out of jams early, Nutile made adjustments with the lead and retired the last 12 Seahawks to secure the win.
The Cougars, who need three more wins to add to the program’s seven state championships, are entering Monday’s state quarterfinal round believing they have what it takes.
“Three more wins. We need three more wins to get states and I think we can do it. I really think we can do it,” said Nutile, who is the team’s only senior. “We have to take it one game at a time and we know these next games are not going to be easy. … We’ve been practicing really hard, our girls deserve it collectively as a team. We’re missing travel ball for this. I’m missing my senior week, I missed my prom, but we’re all so committed this year that I think we can get it.”
The Cougars believe the grinding win in the region will help them be prepared for state play.
Nutile knew she was in for a challenging day from the start when Stephen Decatur leadoff hitter Abby Wesche earned a walk in a 10-pitch at-bat. The Seahawks (10-2) left a runner on third in each of the first two innings and then broke through with the game’s first run in the top of the third inning.
The Cougars were quick and impressive in responding with four runs in the bottom of the frame.
They loaded the bases with no outs and shortstop Sophia Bianco hit a sharp single down the third base line that scored the
team’s first two runs. One out later, Alison Pollack smacked a two-run double down the same line to make it 4-1.
“It was bases loaded and there was no way I was striking out, I knew I was putting the
ball in play,” Bianco said. “I just hit with my Dad in the batting cage and knew my swing was on. It’s been off lately, but I just got it back and I was confident in my swing and I just tried to make contact. It was a great feeling. I was just trying to make contact with it and I was so hyped for my team because I wanted to help my team. It wasn’t for myself, it was for my team.”
Nutile got through one more bumpy inning, getting Sarah Smith to strike out with runners on second and third in the fourth inning, and then she retired the last 12 Seahawks to secure the win. She finished with four strikeouts and aside from an errant throw that led to the Seahawks lone run, the Cougars defense backed her up efficiently.
“The good news is we’ve been able to react well to teams taking a lead on us and we usually at least tie it up if not get a couple extra. That’s what they did today,” said Chesapeake coach Don Ellenberger. “You got to have that because if you go 1-2-3, all of a sudden, the doubt is in your head and you don’t want that anywhere in what you do. This group believes and they produced when they needed to. You put the four up there and, all of a sudden, it’s difficult on the opponent. They got to get multiple people on and get the key hit.”
That’s never been an easy chore against Nutile, who has matured in each of her four years. Ellenberger was impressed with how she made adjustments after struggling with the strike zone early in the game. In the fourth, after the Cougars claimed the lead, the Seahawks got the first two runners on, but Nutile got an infield pop and groundout to first before striking out Smith to end the threat.
“We all know this team with Jerzie in the circle, she’s going to take us wherever we’re going to go. And the mental part of the game is where she has improved a lot over the years,” Ellenberger said.
“We’re fortunate. Jerzie is my only senior and she’s committed to run this gamut as far as she can take us. And if we get enough hits, life will be good.”
Bianco finished with two singles and scored two runs in addition to the two RBIs. Nutile hit a run-scoring double in the fifth to close out the scoring.
Following Monday’s quarterfinals, the semifinals are set for Wednesday with the state championship games set for Friday at Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie. SD 0010000— 111
CH 004010x — 551
Griffin and Candeloro; Nutile and Larkin
2B: C — Larkin, Pollack, Nutile. 3B: SD — Wesche