Momentary Update

OK, waaaay too much time has pasted since I have last had a chance to update the world on the AWESOME Raider Softball team -- and I really don't have time right now.  BUT, I simply cannot face Coach Abby tomorrow night without having put up something, so here is my brief, but ever powerful blog entry for tonight:

10-1, baby!!  That's right, the Raider Ladies are kickin' butt!! 

I'll try to get to the play-by-play soon, but here are a few tidbits from the weekends' action and a glimpse of their shining faces after adding two more tally marks to the victory column Saturday (defeating CC 5-0 and Frontier 7-0).

Brooke Jordan, bringin' the heat for Raiders (another shut-out from the circle as Harrison blanks CC Saturday morning)

Whoa!  Can you see the ball?  No?  Neither can anyone else because it's OVER THE FENCE -- Megan Mitchell cranks a two run homer in the 4th

Oh, the drama!  This play at second is too close to call (although the field umpire called #23 out).


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Jordyn Garrett with a sweet swing of the bat for another Raider hit!

I'm not sure about her pitching skills, but Morgan Stephens wins hands down in the "most animated facial expressions" categories (oh, you should see what I could have posted!!) -- OK, her pitching isn't too bad either -- 17Ks, one hit v. Frontier on Saturday 

Haley Baker shows why she's known as "Super Slider"  (oh, she's not?!  perhaps she should be -- have you thought of that?!)

Aren't they just tooooooo cute!  All that beauty -- and they can take you down, too!

"Huh?  What?  Are any of you listening to me?  Ever?!!"

Catcher Extraordinaire -- Ashley Courtney

Don't ask -- even those present couldn't figure this one out.

Here's what Nathan Baird of the Lafayette Journal & Courier had to say about the games:

Harrison's 1-2 punch knocks out CC, Frontier
BY NATHAN BAIRD • NBAIRD@JCONLINE.COM • MAY 3, 2009

Brooke Jordan set the tone for Harrison's pitching excellence on Saturday.

Morgan Stephens followed with another dose of dominance.

The Raiders duo, reunited after an arm injury kept Jordan out of the pitching circle for two weeks, allowed three total hits in shutout victories over Central Catholic and Class A No. 8 Frontier.

"It's always been a competition between us, but when it comes down to the end, we're a team and we're teammates," said Jordan, who has not allowed an earned run in 37 innings this season. "Other teams are our competition. We're not against each other, we're together."

Jordan threw a two-hitter and struck out eight in a 5-0 victory over Central Catholic. Stephens fanned 17 and took a no-hitter into the sixth before settling for a one-hit, 6-0 win.

In between, the Knights avenged last year's regional loss by edging Frontier 8-7.

Including three straight victories by Stephens before Saturday, Harrison pitchers have allowed one run in their last 35 innings. That run came in a 1-0 loss to Lake Central, the only blemish on the Raiders' 10-1 record.

"It's awesome to have that two-pitcher system, and to know that if I struggle she can come in, or vice versa," Stephens said. "You always do, in the back of your mind, think you want to pitch just as well. I don't think it's really wanting to out-do her. Both of you want to succeed and you want to do it for the team."

Jordan (4-0) hadn't pitched since a four-hit shutout at Portage on April 18. The junior said she began experiencing forearm pain after pitching a 14-inning victory over Logansport in the second game of the season.

"I was a little nervous to see how I would do," Jordan said. "I knew I had my defense behind me. We did our hitting part, so I didn't really have anything to worry about."

Megan Mitchell's two-run home run in the fourth inning against CC gave Jordan a 3-0 cushion. Mitchell also went 3-for-3 against Frontier, and her two-run double in the first provided all the support Stephens needed.

Stephens (6-1) struck out the side in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings and has fanned 87 in 47 innings this season. Frontier No. 9 hitter Audrey Barnard slapped a single to left field with one out in the sixth to break up the no-hitter.

Natalee Gruse's RBI groundout for CC in the top of the seventh broke a 5-5 tie against Frontier. An errant throw across the diamond on the play allowed Brittney Adams to score an important insurance run.

Chelsey Heath's RBI groundout in the bottom of the seventh pulled the Falcons within one. But Gruse, who pitched the first five innings and went back out for the seventh, coaxed a pair of groundouts to end the game.

"We knew we had to hit and that's what we focused on coming in and that's what we did," said Gruse, who finished with four RBIs.

The Falcons committed five errors against CC that led to three unearned runs -- including both runs in the seventh.

"When you make errors like that, there's no way you can come back," said Frontier senior Kelsey Mullen, who went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs but took the loss. "We just had a really terrible defensive game."