St. Marys wins 2-1A with heart

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 25, 2008 by Dustin Kimmel

By Dustin Kimmel

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

EMPORIA - For St. Marys coach Sarah Wise, it wasn't the one- hitter Kristal Channel pitched, the Bears' nearly flawless defense or the timely hitting that won Saturday's Class 2-1A state championship, 6-1 against Udall. For Wise, it was all heart.

"A successful team beats with one heart, and that's what we decided this year," Wise said. "One hit at a time, getting it done. Every ground ball is going to be an out. Everything."

After a .500 season and an absence from the state tournament in Wise's first season, the Bears returned to the top of Class 2-1A riding the arm of Channel, a sophomore.

While Channel's six-strikeout, two-walk performance wasn't overpowering, the Bears were just about perfect backing her up.

The Bears' lone error came in the fourth inning when a bad throw to second base from Channel allowed the Eagles' only run of the game.

"My defense, amazing," Channel said of her team's performance, which included 12 ground-ball outs. "Nothing gets by them. I love 'em all, they're perfect."

Channel also enjoyed good run support, which started when Megan Lueger singled with one out in the top of the fourth inning. Following another single and a walk to load the bases, Miranda Quintanilla hit a two-RBI double off the right-center field fence. Becca Homan singled to drive in Channel, and the Bears had a comfortable 3-0 lead.

After giving up the run in the fourth inning, the Bears got back to producing runs in the top of the sixth. After a leadoff single, Channel gave herself a bit of help with an RBI double. Before the inning was done, Leah Piper and Laura Kinderknecht added RBI singles for the final five-run cushion.

Kinderknecht's single was her fourth hit of the day. Over two games, she was 4-for-7, including coming up a home run shy of the cycle in St. Marys' 14-3 run-rule victory against Sedan in the semifinal game.

While the Bears lose three seniors - Quintanilla, Lueger and Taylor Cantillon - Wise said if her team continues the hard work, a repeat performance in 2009 is a good possibility.

"I lose three seniors, they're very vital, but I have five freshmen who came with us and we're going to be young. And we're going to continue just to be a team."

SEMIFINALS

ST. MARYS 14, SEDAN 3

Sedan____030__00__-__3__5__6

St. Marys____310__46__-__14__15__0

Smith, Hull and LeGrand. Channel, Kinderknecht and Quintanilla. W - Channel. L - Hull. St. Marys: 2B - Kinderknecht, Channel, Quintanilla. 3B - Kinderknecht.

UDALL 6, COLGAN 0

Colgan__000__000__0__-__0__3__3

Udall__110__022__x__-__6__10__0

Hayes and Werner. Sawyer and Taylor. W - Sawyer. L - Hayes. Udall: 2B - Smith 2, Sawyer.

THIRD PLACE

COLGAN 7, SEDAN 1

Sedan__000__000__1__-__1__3__2

Colgan__502__000__x__-__7__5__1

Hull, McDonough and LeGrand. Elmer and Warner; W - Elmer. L - Hull.

Records - Sedan18-7; Colgan 21-5.

CHAMPIONSHIP

ST. MARYS 6, UDALL 1

St. Marys__000__303__0__-__6__8__1

Udall__000__100__0__-__1__1__1

Channel and Quintanilla. Sawyer and Taylor. W - Channel. L - Sawyer. St. Marys: 2B - Quintanilla, Channel. Udall: 2B - Benvin.

Records - St. Marys 20-3; Udall 24-2.