Olympia ends NCHS softball's 28-game win streak

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

By Pantagraph staff

The Normal Community High School softball team saw its 28-game winning streak brought to a halt by Olympia, 1-0, in a game called after five innings because of darkness Wednesday.  NCHS (20-1) won the first game of the doubleheader, 2-1 in eight innings, to hand Olympia pitching star Keri Leach (24-1) her first loss. The Spartans’ record moved to 29-4.  “It was a really good test for us,” said NCHS coach Bob Grimes. “It was a win-win situation for both teams because of the competition we got to play.”

Megan Nonnemacher (12-0) scattered nine hits, struck out two and walked one to win the first game. Jessi Smith drove in the winning run in the eighth with a single off Leach, who fanned five and walked two.  Smith had two hits including a double while Kristen Baldwin had two hits and Courtney Sharp one double. Olympia’s Katie Peak, who drove in one run, had two hits as did Emily England.

In the second game, Grimes started his reserves as he usually does in doubleheaders. After Olympia scored an unearned run in the fifth, he was told the game would be called at the bottom of the inning.  “I said OK,” Grimes said. “Usually they say if it’s the last inning at the top of the inning.”  Freshman Lindsay Stotler (4-1) took the loss after fanning four and allowing three hits. Olympia’s Jordan Shaffer reached on an error in the fifth, was sacrificed to second by Kara Usherwood before England provided an RBI single. Courtney Martin (4-1) got the win.  “I wasn’t worried about the winning streak,” Grimes said. “I played seven kids who didn’t play the first game. He (Olympia coach Al Toliver) only had 12 players so we faced basically the same team except for one or two. I’m pleased what our kids did. We just didn’t push one across.”