PINCONNING - May 9, 2005 - The Pinconning softball team is finally healthy and hitting its stride, while Whittemore-Prescott is still getting used to playing high-stakes North East Michigan Conference games.

While neither team played quite to the level that their coaches would have liked, Pinny's 7-0 and 8-7 sweep of the Cardinals moved the Spartans to the brink of yet another NEMC title, and taught W-P a few lessons that can only come when playing top-flight opponents.

"We made some mistakes today, and they hurt us," said Pinny coach Mike Horner. "But we have some clutch hitters that I expect to come through for us, and they did.

The latter innings of the second game, provided ample opportunities for such theatrics. With the Cards trailing 6-5 in the fifth, first baseman Melissa Perrin drilled a two-run home run off Renee Matijega that gave the Cards a 7-6 lead.

But in the seventh, with one out, Ashley Sanak doubled off the fence and Matijega hit what turned out to be the game-winning, two run homer almost to the same spot that Perrin's shot landed previously.

"I said before the inning started that either Ashley or Renee was going to hit a home run," Horner said. "They both almost did.

"I think they figured out Renee's timing a bit (pitching), and she wasn't hitting her spots as well in the second game as she had in the first. But she plays better when she's (mad) and pitched smarter to (Perrin) the second time."

Perrin came to bat again with two outs in the seventh and Julie Janish on first, but this time Matijega forced a chopper to shortstop Michelle Cordero, who fielded it cleanly and threw her out to end the threat.

"We hit the ball well against a good Pinconning pitcher," said W-P coach Sam Harrison. "But we found out we have more to work on than we thought. These losses will make us better."

Fielding, or lack of it, contributed to both teams scoring a total of 11 runs in the opening four innings.

"Unearned runs make it tough to win," Harrison said. "We need to toughen up mentally. Our inability to stay mentally focused has resulted in us not making routine plays."

Theresa Janish took the loss in relief of Kelli Barriger, allowing two hits and two runs in 3-2/3 innings. Barriger allowed three earned runs on one hit and six walks in 3-1/3, while Matijega allowed 12 hits, walking one striking out five.

The Spartans had just three hits, two in the final inning.

In the opener, five W-P errors helped dig the Cards into a hole as all but two of the Spartans' runs were unearned. Pinny hit the ball hard on several occasions but right at W-P fielders, but a passed ball on a strikeout opened the gates for the Spartans' four-run seventh inning.

Pinny took a 1-0 lead in the second on Jennifer Helm's solo home run. Theresa Janish took the loss, her first of the season, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out nine. Matijega picked up the win by pitching a three-hit shutout, walking one and striking out 10.

The Spartans improved to 14-9 (8-0 NEMC) while the Cards dropped to 18-3 (5-3). Pinny plays Tawas Area (5-1) on May 19 with the NEMC title likely still on the line.