Central bows out with loss to Lindbergh

KIRKWOOD, Mo. -- Megan McDonald struck out nine batters and walked none for Central High School's softball team Saturday at the Kirkwood Athletics Association Complex.

But a key error and a couple of missed opportunities negated McDonalds' strong start and led to a 2-0 loss in the first-ever Class 4 quarterfinal appearance for Central (19-9). Lindbergh is 20-10.

"We had base runners in scoring position a lot," McDonald said. "We just didn't come through."

McDonald struck out six batters through the first three innings and did not allow a base runner until the fourth. The turning point, though, came in Central's half of the third inning.

The Tigers got leadoff hits from Jami Dement and Jessie Snell to put runners on first and third with no outs. But after Snell stole second to give the Tigers two runners in scoring position with no outs, Central's offense went dry.

Shana Wadlington hit a harmless pop fly in the infield, McDonald tried to lay a suicide squeeze down but failed to advance the runners, and Megan Kistner grounded out.

"When we had the chance to score, we threw a suicide squeeze and didn't get it down," Central coach Amy Blattel said.

After escaping Central's third unscathed, Lindbergh's offense finally got to McDonald. Lindbergh pitcher Sarah Dooley led off the fourth with a hit, and Molly Redman followed with another single. The next batter hit a ground ball off McDonald's glove, but third baseman Jamie Lester's throw to first got away and allowed pinch runner Christine Kraemer to score.

"We create chances by being aggressive on the base paths," Lindbergh coach Darin Scott said.

The Tigers got out of the inning only down a run and had another strong scoring opportunity in the sixth. McDonald led off with a single and moved to second on a Kistner sacrifice. After a strikeout, Erica Schabbing walked and advanced on a wild pitch to give Central two runners in scoring position, but Dooley struck out Dani Fee to end the threat.

"When you get to this stage of the ball game, that one hit here or one hit there makes the difference," Blattel said.

Lindbergh tacked on another run in the seventh on three hits to extend its lead to 2-0. In the bottom half of the inning, Dooley retired the Tigers in order to end the game.

"We never gave up," McDonald said. "We thought we were going to win until the last out."

The Tigers finished their most successful season at 19-9. Central's sectional win Wednesday against Oakville was its first-ever state playoff victory.

"Any time you finish in the top eight in the state, that's saying something," Blattel said. "And we beat the team everyone thought would be in the final four in the sectional game."

jjoffray@semissourian.com

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