Source: MI Prep Zone

Author: MATTHEW B. MOWERY

DETROIT >> Batteries make things go, especially in the world of softball.

And the battery — pitcher Andrea Elmore and catcher Anna Dixon — was about all No. 2-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy needed to beat Pontiac Notre Dame Prep in Monday’s Catholic League A-B championship game.

Dixon got it started with the first two home runs of her career, and Elmore finished it off with a no-hitter in the 10-0 victory that sealed Mercy’s third CHSL tourney title in four years.

“They all feed off each other, and when Anna hit that one out — well, the battery really came through today,” Mercy coach Alec Lesko said in an understatement. “Andrea was on fire today. … She was in total command.”

The Marlins (27-1) scored seven runs in the first two innings, then tacked on three more over the next four to finish the game off by the mercy rule, when Cari Padula scampered home on a passed ball with two outs in the sixth.

For the Irish (25-4), who hadn’t been to the CHSL finals since 2007, there weren’t a whole lot of opportunities to slow down the avalanche, after the first inning. Only one hitter got it out of the infield against Elmore, and only leadoff hitter Madison McClune reached base, walking to lead off the game.

“It’s amazing, and that’s all part of it. We have a lot of newbies out there. They did a great job getting us here. I don’t know how we’ve been winning. Against Regina, they had runners in scoring position every single inning, and somehow we got out of it. Mercy took advantage of every single mistake we made. That’s a tribute to them, and just the quality of players and program they are,” said Notre Dame Prep coach Betty Wroubel, who’d expected to have a retooling season this year.

“We lost to a great team. They have nothing to be ashamed of. They’re here. The kids played hard. … I’m proud of the kids. We didn’t play our best ball. They played well, we didn’t. They’re a good team. I don’t know if we play our best what the score’s going to be.”

Given how stingy Elmore was after the first-inning walk, it probably wouldn’t have been high-scoring, no matter what.

“Andrea’s probably most competitive with herself. And once she walked that (batter), I think she just went up a notch, and said ‘That’s not going to happen anymore,’” Lesko said. “That very next batter, she started spinning the ball like she can. It was spinning so much, our catcher was having trouble with it. That’s when we know she’s on her game.”

After letting McClune get to third with a couple of balls she couldn’t handle behind the plate, Dixon more than made up for it with a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the first, one that clanged off the scoreboard support in right field. She added a three-run homer to dead center in the five-run second inning.

“Definitely something different. That was my first home run, so it was definitely different than anything I’ve ever done,” Dixon admitted. “I was just trying to get a base hit, so we could get a rally going, and hopefully score some runs.”

Abby Krzywiecki drove in two with a double in the third, but the rally could’ve been more damaging, had ND Prep center fielder Liz Swartz made an incredible catch on another smoked shot by Dixon.

“She did a great job. She works really hard, so I was really happy. She was in shock, but honestly after that second one, she shouldn’t have been in shock — she should be really proud of herself. She did great,” said Elmore, who was the first out of the dugout to pat her battery mate on the back. “I was so happy. This is her first year catching, so everything’s new for her. She works on catching, then she works on batting, and sometimes she gets frustrated, so to watch her get two home runs in such an important game — it was amazing. Amazing.”

The sophomore catcher has been working on her hitting, too, and getting closer to adding the home run ball to her repertoire.

“That kid, we’ve been working the last couple weeks really hard — she’s a tremendous contact hitter, rarely strikes out — but we were telling her ‘You’ve got the ability to put the ball over the wall,’” Lesko said. “She’s been working hard, and the last couple weeks in practice, she started clearing the wall regularly in batting practice. I was surprised, I guess, from the timing of it, but not surprised that she could do it.”