The final score was the same, but the result was far more pleasing for Chesapeake-AA this time around against Broadneck.
After losing to Broadneck 2-1 twice this season already, Chesapeake expected, and received, a tough game against the Bruins in Friday?s Class 4A East region final.
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But this time, the Cougars would not be denied as Brooke Owen hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh to give them a 2-1 come-from-behind victory. Chesapeake is trying to get back to the state finals for the third time in four years
“It?s very exciting to get back to the semifinals,” said Owen, a senior right fielder. “We came so close to winning the championship last year. We?re so focused and motivated right now.”
Chesapeake will take on Sherwood at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bachman Park in Glen Burnie in the Class 4A semifinals. Sherwood reached the semifinals by knocking off defending state champion C. Milton Wright.
“Coming from behind [Thursday] helped give them hope today that they could do that against Broadneck,” said Chesapeake coach Don Ellenberger, referring to the Cougars region semifinal victory over North County. “The great thing was that our seniors stepped up when they had to.”
Ellenberger said the obvious key for Chesapeake to get back to the state finals is to get another solid pitching performance from sophomore Lauren Gibson. The Cougars star hurler gave up one run on three hits and struck out 12 in Friday?s victory.
But, the biggest move she made to help her finally beat Broadneck this year may have been the decision to walk Bruins pitcher Kourtney Salvarola four times. The freshman sensation finished the season batting .698 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI.
“You never want to intentionally walk anyone, but you have to think about what?s best for the team?s chances of winning or losing,” Gibson said.
Broadneck coach Jim Ware said Chesapeake made the right adjustments to finally get past his team this season and expects them to be very capable of winning the school?s sixth state title, but first since 1993.
“There was no margin for error in a game like this,” Ware said. “Today we made mistakes in key spots where Chesapeake was the one who made mistakes in the previous games.”
