'Cats put up courageous effort against Lakeland
June 11, 2009 | By Jeff Theisen
Plymouth just missed pulling off an upset that would've really opened some eyes in the regional opener.
The Wildcats pushed Lakeland to eight innings, but fell 5-3 in the extra frame.
Plymouth finishes an impressive 32-10.
“They played with passion,” Plymouth head coach Val Canfield said. “At the beginning of the season, that's something that they had a hard time finding. We gave it our all.”
Wildcats sophomore pitcher Lauren Smith pitched a scoreless first, while Plymouth wasted little time in taking the lead.
Senior catcher Erin Rodes started the inning off with a single. With two outs, Lakeland chose to intentionally walk Amanda Burnard, and Jessica Bondy made the Eagles pay. She singled up the middle to score Rodes.
An error and a triple later in the second by Eric Rizzo led to a 2-1 lead by Lakeland.
But Plymouth didn't back down, and tied the game up in the bottom of the second.
Rodes doubled home a run with two outs for the 2-2 tie.
The Wildcats took the lead with a two-out rally started with a bunt single by Bondy. She stole second and scored on a single later in the inning.
Lakeland tied the game on another triple by Rizzo in the fourth, and things remained scoreless the rest of the regulation.
Plymouth's best chance came in the bottom of the seventh with runners on second and third and two outs. But Lakeland star pitcher Carlee Meek got a key strikeout to send the game into extra innings.
A leadoff double and three hits amounted to the final two runs for Lakeland, as the Eagles captured their fifth straight regional title.
Plymouth outhit the Eagles 10-6, but the run total is the only one that really matters in the end.
Canfield said immediately after the game she was already feeling the loss of her four seniors — Rodes, Jillian Brennan, Beth Heldmeyer and Miranda Oliver.
“I know how much they've worked and how hard they've played for the last four years, because I've had them for the last four years,” Canfield said. “I really think, as a player, this is the way I would want to go out — the way they played against Lakeland.”
The Eagles (38-1) advanced to the state quarterfinals.
jtheisen@gannett.com | (248) 349-1700, ext. 228 | 
