After issuing four first-inning walks Thursday in Lane Tech’s Public League softball semifinal against Clemente, the last thing on Indians pitcher Erin Gates’ mind was a no-hitter.
“I was kind of nervous in the beginning,” Gates admitted. “But then I got over my jitters. I just thought about focusing on the glove and putting it down there. That’s probably why I was doing better.”
If it is really that easy, Gates may soon have big-leaguers calling for her relaxation techniques.
He escaped trouble in that rocky first and settled down quickly, holding Clemente hitless while striking out 11 to lead Lane in a 12-3 victory at UIC. The win clinched a berth in the final Monday at 11 a.m. against Kenwood, which needed a thrilling late-inning comeback to defeat Washington 6-4 in the second semifinal.
Gates teetered on the edge of disaster in the first inning. Her four walks, along with a wild pitch and a passed ball, allowed Isidra Rivera to score a quick go-ahead run for Clemente. But poor baserunning by the Wildcats, who had two runners thrown out at third, bailed Gates out of trouble.
Lane’s offense was just as opportunistic. Yes, the Indians pounded out 14 hits, but six errors by Clemente (21-3) helped Lane (23-11) to eight unearned runs. Charlotte Holzinger (4 for 5) smacked a two-run single in the sixth to put Lane ahead 8-1–more than enough breathing room for the cruising Gates.
“If (Gates) could do away with the walks, she’d be set,” Lane coach Andy Compton said. “She did great, though. They were all nervous, and I think it affected her too. Once we got out of the first inning, it was a little better.”
Kenwood stood at the brink of elimination in the second semi before its stunning comeback. The Broncos trailed 4-0 going into the sixth and had yet to record a hit against Washington pitcher Kelly Gager. But Kenwood (16-0) suddenly came alive in the bottom half of the sixth. A two-out error opened the door for the Broncos, and Kara Blaylock made the Minutewomen pay with a two-run double off the center-field wall that tied the score 4-4.
Blaylock scored the go-ahead run moments later on a wild pitch, and the Broncos added one more to give sophomore pitcher Savannah O’Hagin (12 strikeouts) a comfortable cushion.
“They got hungry. Once we got it tied up, I think they knew they could do it,” Kenwood coach Willie Mae Sullivan said. “They knew once we got people on base, a big hitter would come up and knock it out of there.”
