Steve Luse
CUMBERLAND — Before the start of the game Fort Hill catcher Adria Lewis said her team was in a “serious mode” and the top-seeded Sentinels went out and had some serious pitching, hitting and fielding in an 11-0 victory over Clear Spring Wednesday afternoon at Long Field to advance to the Maryland Class 1A West Region finals.
The Sentinels improved to 18-1 with their 17th straight victory and will be facing second-seeded Allegany for the championship Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Long Field.
Shari Beavers pitched a one-hitter and blasted a three-run home run in the sixth inning to end the game under the 10-run rule. The Fort Hill senior also contributed a double and a single to the Sentinels’ 10-hit attack.
Beavers struggled a little with her rise-ball and finished with five strikeouts and five walks. Her teammates didn’t commit any errors.
Lewis cracked a long two-run double to right field to key Fort Hill’s five-run opening inning. The hard-hitting catcher also had a run-scoring single in the three-run fourth that gave the Sentinels an 8-0 lead.
“Getting up early and getting our bats going was the key to the game,” said Fort Hill coach Mike Bittner. “We also had some great defensive plays with no errors and that wins games. This sets up the big match-up on Friday with Allegany for the championship.”
Fort Hill’s only loss was to Allegany, 2-0, in the second game of the season. The Sentinels avenged that setback with a 4-3 victory in the regular-season finale.
“We came out ready and wanted to prove to some people that doubted us that we have game,” said Lewis. “We were serious.”
It was the second straight year that Beavers ended the region semifinal game with a home run. Last year she belted a walk-off grand slam to end a 12-8 win over Boonsboro.
Yesterday she was happy to be spotted the early 5-0 lead.
“It took some pressure off knowing we had that lead since we usually score late,” said the Fort Hill pitcher. “It really got the adrenaline going. I knew the home run was gone and as I have said every game we always seem to have something to build on for the next game.”
With one out, Destiny James drew a walk off Clear Spring starter Morgan Purdham to start the five-run first. Beavers singled for her first hit and Lewis drove the first-pitch to deep right field for the two-run double.
Olivia Stanley sent in the third run with the first of her two hits and ended up scoring on an error on a grounder by Cierra Miller. A fielder’s choice on a ground out by Alyssia Yost allowed the fifth run to score.
In the Fort Hill fourth inning, Beavers hit a two-out double and scored on a hard-hit single by Lewis. Stanley followed with a run-scoring double and came in for the eighth run on a base hit by Miller.
Kathryn Huber opened the Fort Hill sixth with a double and James reached on an error to set the stage for Beavers’ game-ending home run.
“We thought we were ready, but their girls hit the ball as well as anyone we have seen this season and we played some very good teams,” said Clear Spring coach R.B. Baker. “We needed some breaks and we didn’t get any.”
Steve Luse is a retired Cumberland Times-News sportswriter. Contact Steve Luse at sluse@times-news.com.
