The Chesterton softball team continued its solid play and ran its winning streak to five games as they swept a pair of games in winning the CHS Invitational on Saturday.

The Trojans picked up a nine-inning victory over Elkhart Memorial 2-1 in the day’s opening game and followed that with a 10-0 whitewash of South Bend Washington in the finale.

In game one, the Trojans put a run on the board in the first to get a 1-0 lead. Alexis Paz led off the game with a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sam Gross. Catie Armstrong’s single plated Paz.

“Neither side had a lot of opportunities to score,” Chesterton coach LouAnn Hopson said. “This one was a true pitcher’s duel.”

Chesterton starter Taylor Harlow cruised through the first six innings before Elkhart Memorial tied the game in the top of the seventh.

“Taylor did a great job,” Hopson said. “There was a lot of pressure on the infield and they came up big. Amanda (Gough) and Kathleen (Maple) were really tough up the middle.”

Elkhart Memorial got a leadoff bloop single in the seventh just out of the reach of Gough. A botched one-out bunt play by the Trojan defense put runners on the corners and the game-tying run scored on a wild pitch.

“Going into the eighth, Memorial was about to start its fourth time through against Taylor, so we decided to go to Catie (Armstrong),” Hopson said. “Taylor had struck out eight, but the top of the order had been making decent contact. Both girls did a great job.”

The game featured the tie-breaker rule that allows the last innings final out to start on second base. Memorial didn’t capitalize, but the Trojans did in the ninth.

Paz, starting on second base, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sharp ground ball to second base off the bat of Armstrong with the game-winner.

“Alexis took a big lead and read the angle of the ball coming off the bat,” Hopson said. “The ball handcuffed her some and with Alexis moving, she had no play at home.”

In game two, Paz picked up the first no-hitter of her career with a solid showing against South Bend Washington. The senior right-hander struck out four and walked two in the win.

“I was very pleased to see Alexis rebound from her outing against Merrillville,” Hopson said. “She did well that night, but lost her control at the end. Today she had great control the entire game.”

Chesterton plated five runs in the bottom of the first as Paz and Gross singled to get things started. Paz scored when Armstrong grounded out and Gough was hit by a pitch.

Gross scored when Sam Bozak reached on an error. Kelci Garcia walked and all three ended up scoring on wild pitches.

“We didn’t need lots of hitting in this one,” Hopson said. “We drew five walks and scored four runs on wild pitches. Their pitcher was just wild enough that some of our girls swung at things they normally wouldn’t have because they were over eager to hit.”

The Trojans scored four more runs in the third inning when Gough and Garcia walked, while Bozak had an infield single. Gough and Bozak scored on Jessica McClellan’s double.

Garcia scored on a wild pitch and McClellan scored on Amy DeYoung’s single.

In the fifth inning, Chesterton put the final touches on the victory when Sam Bozak reached on a walk and advanced to third on a ground out and fielder’s choice. She scored the game-winner when Ryan Bozak grounded out.

Chesterton 2, Elkhart Memorial 1

AT CHESTERTON

SCORING BY INNINGS

Elkhart Memorial 000 000 100 – 1 5 2

Chesterton 100 000 001 – 2 5 2

Pitching Summary – Elkhart Memorial – Erin Burleson (8 IP, 5 H, 5 K, 0 BB); Chesterton – Taylor Harlow (7 IP, 4 H, 8 K, 1 BB), Catie Armstrong (2 IP, 2 H, 0 K, 0 BB). WP – Armstrong. LP – Burleson.

Chesterton 10, South Bend Washington 0

AT CHESTERTON

SCORING BY INNINGS

SB Washington 000 00 – 0 0 1

Chesterton 504 01 – 10 4 0

2B – Jessica McClellan (C). Pitching Summary – SB Washington – Selina Majors (3 IP, 4 H, 2 K, 4 BB), Christina Miller (2 IP, 0 H, 0 K, 0 BB); Chesterton – Alexis Paz (5 IP, 0 H, 4 K, 2 BB). WP – Paz. LP – Majors.

Posted 4/21/2008