Source: Observer/Eccentric

Author: Dan O'Meara / John Stormzand

Junior Andrea Elmore pitched her second perfect softball game in a week Monday, leading Farmington Hills Mercy to its fourth consecutive district tournament championship.

Elmore struck out 10 batters as the Marlins defeated host North Farmington in the final game, 10-0 in five innings. She also threw a perfect game in a May 26 predistrict game with Harrison.

Elmore's development as a pitcher has elevated her to the No. 1 role and allowed junior Abby Krzywiecki to play first base and concentrate more on her hitting.

"Andrea has always been a hard worker," Mercy coach Alec Lesko said. "I think the biggest thing this year is she's trusting herself.

"She's trusting all the work she has done. She's trusting what she has put into the game and allowing it to work for her.

"And it shows when she's in the circle. She has that confidence now that you need any time you step out there."

The Marlins collected 27 hits in two games Monday, including another five-inning, 14-0 victory over Livonia Stevenson in a semifinal game, which also was postponed from Saturday because of rain.

That was more of what Mercy, ranked No. 5 in the last Division 1 coaches association poll, has done all season.

"You never get tired of it," Lesko said, adding the Marlins work really hard on their hitting. "We talked about making great at-bats, looking for your pitch, getting something to drive. They brought it today. I'm really proud of them."

In the 13-hit final game with North, Sophia Van Acker went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI singles. Jordan Johnson was 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a two-run triple.

Alex Sobczak and Anna Dixon were 2-for-2. Shannon Gibbons drove in two runs with a base hit; Molly Murphy and Dixon each had an RBI single.

North coach Dave Brubaker said Elmore is the "real deal," adding his young team was overmatched at the plate.

"You're throwing the minnows to the sharks over there," he said. "The Marlins (are the powerhouse team), and we're like the little fishes today.

"When you come up against a pitcher like that and you've got freshmen, (the odds aren't good). Our offense isn't that potent yet to really put up a lot of runs against a good pitcher."

Krzywiecki pitched a no-hitter against Stevenson in the semifinal game, She struck out nine and issued one walk.

She also went 3-for-3 and knocked in five runs with a three-run homer and a two-run single. Sobczak was 3-for-4 with two RBI and scored three runs.

Jordan Johnson was 2-for-2 and had three RBI. She and Sobczak hit two-run homers. Murphy got the Marlins started with a bases-loaded, three-run double in the first inning. Van Acker doubled to drive in a run, and Mary Reeber also scored three runs.

Stevenson had two base runners in the first inning. Alyssa Zahra reached on an error and Cori Wilson with a walk. Krzywiecki retired the last 13 batters in a row.

"It starts with pitching," Lesko said. "When you get the (hitting) support, it gets you on a roll, and the rest of it is kind of contagious."

The Marlins will play Northville at noon Saturday in the Division 1 regional tournament at Novi High School.

The winner plays either Hartland or Waterford Kettering for the championship 20 minutes after the end of the noon game.

"Every step gets harder," Lesko said, "so we need to go back and work harder. I told (the Mercy players) to enjoy it tonight. When the sun comes up tomorrow, we're back to work.

"We're just going to take it a game at a time and see what we can do, how long we can go."