By Carlton D. White
Marietta Daily Journal Sports Writer
KENNESAW - Kennesaw Mountain has finally done it.
After three consecutive seasons finishing as the Region 5AAAAA runners-up, the Lady Mustangs moved on as the champions in their fourth try, following a 9-1 win Thursday over North Cobb in the second game of the best-of-three series. Kennesaw Mountain defeated the Lady Warriors, 8-0, on Wednesday.
Kennesaw Mountain (27-4), ranked No. 1 in the state in the GaSports.com coaches' poll, will be making its fifth trip to the Class AAAAA state sectionals, which will begin Oct. 19 at Central Park in Cumming. The Lady Mustangs will take on the No. 4 seed from Region 7AAAAA at 4 p.m.
North Cobb (20-9), the No. 10 team in the state, which earned its first Region 5AAAAA runners-up honor, is also making a return trip to sectionals, but this time as the region's No. 2 seed, where it will face the No. 3 seed out of Region 7AAAAA.
"This feels great," said Lady Mustangs head coach Lisa Chapman. "I didn't relax after we got the early lead, but having that lead helped. Our team hit the ball really well tonight and I'm really proud of them."
Kennesaw Mountain jumped on North Cobb starting pitcher Audrey Mason early with two runs in the first. Mason was making her second straight start for the Lady Warriors as she was on the mound for Game 1 Wednesday. She wasn't as sharp to begin the contest, and neither was her defense, which allowed Kennesaw Mountain to take the early lead.
The Lady Mustangs' first seven players in the batting order came up to the plate in the first inning. An error, a passed ball and aggressive base running positioned several Kennesaw Mountain players onto the base paths during the inning.
Junior first baseman Tatum Vanloan continued her solid play from Wednesday. With two on, she hit into a RBI ground out that scored Jennifer Fenton from third. A passed ball followed, allowing Ashley Pauly to cross the plate.
That was all Lady Mustangs' junior pitcher Brittany Lundgren would need. For the second consecutive night, Kennesaw Mountain received brilliant starting pitching, timely hitting and consistent defense to hold the Lady Warriors at bay.
Lundgren went the distance, allowing six hits, one earned run and a walk, while striking out 14. Setting the tone early, she struck out six of the first 11 batters she faced.
"Brittany wasn't as sharp tonight as she has been," Chapman commented. "But, she throws hard enough that she kept the hitters off balance. She threw strong and put it by them."
"I am just so proud of my team," Lundgren expressed. "I didn't pitch as well as I could have, but I gave it all I had. To win this for the seniors and the coaches, is just amazing.
"We've worked so hard for this all year and after coming so close last year, I'm glad we were able to finish what we started. We did not want to lose."
Leading 2-0 after one, Kennesaw Mountain increased its advantage to 4-0 after scoring two more runs in the second off a series of singles.
Krista Kennedy singled up the middle and advanced to second after a sacrifice bunt from Chelsea Johnson. Fenton's bunt single moved Kennedy to third, and Ashley Pauly's single plated Kennedy and positioned Fenton at third.
A wild pitch scored Fenton and advanced the runners. But, a fielder's choice and strikeout ended the threat for the Lady Warriors.
Everything seemed to be going the Lady Mustangs' way as play continued into the fourth. With two outs and no one on, Vanloan took first after being plunked on the arm. She was pinch-run for at first by Chumley, who advanced to second after a Kristin Marko single.
Senior Erin O'Shea, Wednesday's winning pitcher, then smacked a long double into left-center field to score Chumley and a pinch runner, giving KMHS a 6-0 lead.
O'Shea advanced to third following Lundgren's single and scored on a throwing error to first during the play, giving the Lady Mustangs three runs and a 7-0 lead with two outs in the inning. Mason pitched a strikeout to the next batter to end the fourth.
"This win feels awesome," mentioned O'Shea, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. "We finally did it. After three straight years, we finally did it. We worked so hard all season with a chance to play in the championship game again and now we've done it. I'm still trying to soak it all in."
North Cobb got on the board for the first time in the series in the bottom of the frame. First baseman Kristin Stoll singled to left and advanced to second after a walk from Rochelle Mills. Tessa Bailey's fly out to center moved Stoll to third and pinch runner Becca Lake to second.
And with two outs, the Lady Warriors scored when third baseman Morgan Sheridan hit a clutch short single between the pitcher and first base to plate Stoll.
KMHS scored its final two runs in the top of the seventh. Kristy Rodriguez walked and pinch hitter Laura Jansky knocked her first career home run over the right center fence for a 9-1 advantage that held.
Lundgren calmly struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh, giving Kennesaw Mountain a reason to celebrate and Chapman a reason to cry.
"I have two No. 1 pitchers (in Lundgren and O'Shea)," said Chapman. "Most teams are lucky to have one and I have two. Putting either one of them out there on any given day, I know they're going to give me everything they have, and they did."
"Our pitchers did a great job this series," expressed senior catcher Kristin Marko, who was 3-for-3 on the night. "Our defense and our hitting was really great. This is just a great feeling. After four years, we've finally done it."
From the North Cobb perspective, it was more about the season than the team's play Thursday.
"It's all about the entire season not just this one game," said North Cobb head coach Jo Beth Weaver. "We just didn't play sharp these last two games and you can't do that against Kennesaw Mountain.
"I felt encouraged about our play tonight and I hope we can carry some of this momentum into sectionals next week. We're a good team. We just have to regroup."
What's next for region champion Kennesaw Mountain?
"Our first goal was this championship," said Chapman. "Our next will be to get to Columbus for (the state) championship. These girls work hard and they're determined. I think we have a real good shot at getting (to Columbus)."
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Posted Comments
I have just met Tatum, and Brittany at first Anual "Mega" Camp, and they are both very good pitchers. They have also both helped me improve my pitching abilities and other areas of the game. I just want to thenk both of them and all the other assistants for helping me improve in the game. Good luck in the 08-09 season!