Reversed call gives SF new life Reversed call gives SF new life (March 11, 2005)

Lancers strike twice after overturned third out

By Scott Campbell

Just when a rally appeared dead, St. Francis benefited from a controversial fourth-inning ruling to plate what would prove to be the winning runs against Homestead.

The Lancers scored twice after the umpires overturned a called third out, then hung on for 3-1 win on March 7.

Knotted at 1-1, the Mustangs (0-3) appeared to record the inning's final out on a groundball up the middle by St. Francis pitcher Mollie Hoo. Homestead shortstop Tegra Lillie gloved the ball in the dirt at second base just before Lancers baserunner Sara Scannell arrived.

As his team took its defensive positions, St. Francis coach Rob Piper argued that Lillie never had control of the ball. The home plate umpire overruled the call, and sent the Lancers back to the plate with baserunners at first and second. Mustangs pitcher Becca Gularte then surrendered consecutive run-scoring singles to Soula Ellenikiotis and Sara Kamenski that gave St. Francis the 3-1 lead.

"It was the major turning point in the game," said Piper of the reversed call. "The pitcher got a little rattled right after that. We got a couple hits in a row and they lost a little focus."

After pitching two scoreless innings to open the game, St. Francis sophomore Lindsay O'Hearn ran into trouble in the third. Following a single by Mustangs third baseman Lauren Gniadek that gave Homestead a 1-0 lead, the Lancers (2-1) faced a jam with one out and runners at the corners.

O'Hearn responded with consecutive strikeouts of Homestead's cleanup and No. 5 hitters, fooling the latter with a deceptive change-up, to avert any further damage.

"It was my first time starting in a game, so I was very nervous," said O'Hearn, who allowed four hits and one walk. "As the innings went by, I gained more confidence and the runners didn't really bother me."

Kamenski, the Lancers leadoff hitter, opened the bottom half of the inning by singling up the middle and then stealing second base. Catcher Easton Henrickson promptly evened the score at 1-1 with a single to right field.

"We need to be aggressive," said Kamenski, who finished 3-3 with three singles. "(The stolen base) definitely started things off ... knowing that we can get some hits and generate some runs."

Gularte, who threw a six-hit complete game, recovered to retire St. Francis cleanup hitter Jennifer Luders on an infield pop-up.

Given new life in the fourth inning after the overturned third out, St. Francis capitalized on one of the few opportunities it found against Gularte.

"To lose a game on a call like that is wrong," said Homestead coach Mike McKinley. "He overturns it and it turns out to be the key play of the game ... garbage."

Behind the stout pitching of Hoo, a St. Francis senior who threw four scoreless innings after relieving O'Hearn in the fourth, a two-run lead was more than enough.

"We got down a little bit early and came out a little bit flat, but then we picked it up," said Piper. "Once we got ahead, we didn't give it back again."

St. Francis hosts Valley Christian to begin its West Catholic Athletic League season on Mar. 15.

E-mail Scott Campbell at sports@mv-voice.com

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