Angela Carollo slides into third base, and in the process Pinny shortstop Chelsea Adcock loses her glove. The ball got kicked away by the slide and Carollo scored on the play.
Brent Baker
Emily Sheltrown stretches for a throw at first base at Pinconning on Monday.

PINCONNING - Apr. 21, 2008 - There's a difference between thinking you can beat a 21-time league champion, and being the team that's used to winning championships.

That was never more apparent than in the seventh inning of the first game of Monday's doubleheader between Ogemaw Heights and Pinconning.

Ogemaw, the challenger, had Pinny on the ropes, up 4-1 with two out and no one on in the bottom of the seventh inning.

But given one last chance, the Spartans responded, stole a 5-4 victory and earned a sweep with a 5-1 win in the second game.

"We did the same thing last week against Bay City Western," said Pinny coach Mike Horner. "We were down 3-1 in the seventh and came back.

"I just told the girls to go up there and try to get the ball in play."

The Spartans heeded Horner's advice. With two outs, an error and a bad-hop infield single gave them new life, and they took full advantage of it.

With two on, Paige Little dropped a bloop double just inches inside the left field line to cut it to 4-2. And Lauren Lahar, who has made a habit of getting the big hit in tight games this season, roped a one-hopper off the center field fence that brought home two runs to tie the score.

"Lauren's having by far her best year," Horner said. "She's really become a quiet leader. She's had a lot of clutch hits, and she's been playing some great first base."

Samantha Bellhorn followed with a walk, and Kelsey Bourcier reached base on one final infield error that brought Lahar home with the winning run.

"It's tough to beat us the first time," Horner said. "For a lot of teams, you can see it when they get close.

"Once a team beats us, though, look out."

The Falcons were on the verge of doing that, playing nearly flawless softball for the first 20 outs.

Jacie Lucas' two-run single in the top of the sixth snapped a 1-1 tie, and Jenna Zettel's RBI single in the top of the seventh extended it to 4-1.

Colleen Wren had the Spartans on their heels for most of the game, allowing three hits and four walks and striking out eight. Only one run against her was earned.

Taylor Beck got the win, allowing six hits and four walks while striking out nine.

Pinny didn't need a comeback in the second game. Shawna Vermeesch and Kayla Kazmierski hit RBI singles in the first inning to give Pinny a 2-0 lead, and Katie Sequin added a two-run single in the third that made it 5-1.

Kazmierski tossed a four-hitter, allowing one unearned run on four hits and four walks and striking out eight.

Kate Dombrowski took the loss, throwing a nine-hitter, walking three and striking out four.

Pinny improved to 9-4 (4-2 NEMC) and moved to within a game of first place as league co-leaders Tawas Area and John Glenn split their doubleheader.

The Falcons fell to 5-6 (1-3).