When Sammie Howard stepped to the plate with the game on the line on Friday night, the Chesterton junior was no stranger to pressure-packed moments in extra innings.

Just like she did against Valparaiso two years ago, Howard delivered the game-winning hit in extra innings against Hebron as the Trojans pulled out a 2-1 victory in 11 innings over the Hawks.

Howard laid down a perfect bunt that scooted through the Hebron defense and allowed senior Ryan Bozak to score from second base.

“I just felt that it was my time to shine,” Howard said. “I haven’t been doing too well for the last three games and I just wanted to contribute to the team.”

It was Howard’s first game-winning hit since the junior delivered a walk-off single against the arch-rival Vikings on April 9, 2009, for the first hit of her high school career.

“I just wanted to be able to do something big for my team, especially since I’ve been struggling,” Howard said.

Bozak nearly ended the game by herself three innings earlier when the senior catcher drove a ball deep to the fence, but ultimately fell for a standup double. Hebron pitcher Mollie Lindeman struck out Jeanette Sosnowski to get out of the jam.

“At first I thought it was a high pop fly,” Bozak said after her three-hit game. “When I came up again after that, I wanted to get a hit so bad. We wanted to win this game.”

Chesterton sophomore Megan Tymorek came on in relief of starting pitcher Taylor Harlow in the sixth inning and was absolutely dominant. Tymorek registered at least one strikeout in every inning she was in the circle and finished with nine strikeouts for the night. At one point, Tymorek retired 13 straight batters.

Harlow doubled in the third inning and pinch-runner Sarah Richards later scored on a Mallory McKee sacrifice. Harlow gave up a run in the fifth inning when Lindeman singled home her sister Maggie after the freshman third baseman reached on an error.

With the victory, the Trojans improve to 7-4 this season and bounced back from a 2-1 loss against Lake Central on Thursday night.

“I sure hope they (Hebron) feel as good about this game as we did about last night’s game (against Lake Central),” Chesterton coach LouAnn Hopson said. “I pulled their pitcher aside after the game and said that she is special and they can do some things this season. That’s a good team over there.”

SCORING BY INNINGS

Hebron 000 010 000 00 -- 1 4 2

Chesterton 001 000 000 01 -- 2 10 4

2B -- Taylor Harlow, Ryan Bozak (C). Pitching Summary -- Hebron -- Carrie Combs (3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 K), Mollie Lindeman (7.1 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 10 K); Chesterton -- Taylor Harlow (5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K), Megan Tymorek (6 IP, 3 H, 9 K). WP -- Tymorek. LP -- Lindeman.

Posted 4/18/2011