Lady Indians fall short in city title rematch

By Nader Ihmoud

In a rematch of last years Girl’s Softball City Championships, North Side College Prep had just enough to get by Lane, 8-7, April 12 at Horner Park.

The Mustangs avoided late heroics in the bottom half of the seventh when the Lady Indians were mounting a comeback.

Lane entered that half of the inning down 8-5. The inning began with a walk, but North Side’s relief pitcher struck out the next two batters, in what seemed to be the end of Lane’s hopes.

With two outs the rally had just begun when Danielle Disunti laid down a bunt single moving runners to first and second when senior Jackie Manrique drove in two runs with a single up the middle, bringing the game winning run to the plate. This brought pitcher Kaleigh Ambrose to the plate who flew out to left to end the threat, giving game one of two scheduled in-season games to the Mustangs.

The Lady Indians basically handed the Mustangs the game by committing five errors and stranding 10 Ladies on base. Failure to execute early on defense and offense cost them the game.

“It is (only) April 12th, we can not read a sign, and we can not catch a ball,” said a frustrated Coach Stravrakas.

In the first inning a walk and an error fielding a bunt led to a two-out two-run single for the Mustangs. Several errors in the fifth inning lead to three more runs. Three more runs in the top of the seventh put North Side up for good.

Many expect these two teams to meet again in the City Championship game, which is held yearly at UIC.