Sherwood - Wootton Regional Semifinals Digital Sports Article

Published: 05/14/2008

By Robert Klemko

Three weeks after losing an undefeated season and a division title in extra innings on their home turf, Sherwood's Warriors returned the favor when it counted, edging Wootton 2-1 in the 4A West regional semifinal at Sherwood.

Junior shortstop Taylor Stockinger notched the game-winning RBI with a two-run double ripped to left-center field in the bottom of the fifth inning.

"Our bats have been a lot better than what they were during the regular season so it's helped us in the playoffs," Stockinger said. "Everybody in the lineup has stepped up their game and their hitting because we're trying to go as far as we can."

Stockinger's second hit of the day came just an inning after Wootton loaded the bases but produced just one run. All told, the Patriots left six runners in scoring position and posted eleven hits in a losing effort.

"I felt we hit right with them but the one thing is that we left way to many people on base," said Wootton Coach Alton Lightsey. "It's tough, I would challenge any team to try to win here twice. We had opportunities to do it. We gave ourselves chances but they got the big hit."

Sherwood junior pitcher Erin McMakin notched five strikouts in a complete game. McMakin worked her way out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning, forcing a pair of groundouts, to allow just one run to score. In the fourth, McMakin struck out the final batter of the inning with runners on second and third to hold Wootton off the scoreboard.

But McMakin's closest call came in the top of the third, when Wootton's Sarah Biron, heading home on a Rachel Laufer line drive, was thrown out by sophomore shortstop Kat Correa from the cutoff position. Warrior catcher Shayna Popkin applied the tag to the delight of the Sherwood faithful, who haven't witnessed a Correa error all season.

"She's tough. If theres anybody staying after practice it's her sayin 'Coach can you stay and hit me,'" Sherwood coach Pat Flanagan said. "I could stay out here until it was dark and she'll say, 'Could you hit it harder? Could you hit it to my glove side? Could you hit it to the other side?' She works all the time on getting better."

It was Correa who engineered the final out, scooping up a Rinn dribbler for a berth in the 4A West championship game.

"I just love getting down and dirty," Correa said. "On the play at home she threw it to me and I just beamed it... this win means everything to us."

Wootton's Lightsey said he was proud of the resilience of his players, who won 13 of their final 15 games on their way to a 15-5 mark.

"We battled with every single team and we were in every game that we played except for the one against Gaithersburg at the beginning of the year and I felt like we were just as good as this team," Lightsey said. "The season as a whole was definitely a success with a relatively young team. I was really impressed and I'm sad that its over."

Sherwood has picked up where last year's team left off, rebounding from the loss of first-team All-Met catcher Katie Obal and second teamer Dana Ward with a 15-2 season mark.

"I moved Kathy Holonich -- who has been one of the best outfielders in the county for a while -- to first base with no problem and she's done an excellent job," Flanagan said. "Nobody on this team worried about their individual stats and that is what makes them a good team. Everybody pulls for each other."

Sherwood will meet top-seeded Gaithersburg in the regional title game.

Junior pitcher Erin McMakin threw five strikeouts in Sherwood's 2-1 win over Wootton.

Junior Taylor Stockinger rounds second base as her two-run double puts the Warriors ahead.