May
10, 2001 - The Katy Taylor and Elkins Region III 5A Regional Quarterfinal softball game was everything I expected,
great pitching and defense. It took 12 innings before Katy Taylor broke the scoreless event. In the top of
the 12th, Paige Lewis for Taylor grounded out to the Elkins short stop, Kelly Osburn for the first out.
Elizabeth Magee then hit a hard short hopper to Kelly who made a great play getting the glove on the ball
to knock it down. Her throw to first was high and wide which allowed Magee to be safe. Cristin Vitek
then hit a hard grounder to the Elkin's pitcher, Jennifer Leal who tip the ball. Jennifer found the ball quickly
and threw to wide to second in an attempt to get Magee. Magee advanced to third and Vitek to second.
Taylor entered Lauren Yielding as a courtesy runner for Vitek. Leal then walked Stephanie Figgers on four
straight balls to load the bases. Erin Kooser then hit a hot grounder to Brandi Clark at 3rd base. Brandi
threw hometo get the force out at the plate for out number two. Calleye Williams was the next batter.
Jennifer threw three straight balls and then a strike, then two more strikes. Calleye stayed alive by fouling
the next two pitches out of play before Jennifer threw a ball and walked in a run. Tina Boutelle then hit the
first pitch deep in the gap between left and center field for a double and three RBI's. Tina was thrown out
at third when she tried to stretch the double to a triple.
It was Elkin's turn at bat. Jamie Hinshaw worked the count to full and then grounded out to 2nd. Kelly Osburn
worked the count to 3-1 and then grounded out to 3rd. Erin Howell then grounded out to 2nd on the first pitch
to end the game 4-0 in Taylor's favor.
Cristin Vitek (24-3) allowed two hits and finished the game with 18 strike-outs. Vitek's strike-out pitch was usually
a rise. In the 4th inning, College Sports Exposure radar Vitek fastball at 63 mph. Vitek is a Baylor University signee.
Jennifer Leal (17-9), a junior, positioned herself as one of the top returning pitchers in the Greater Houston Area
for next season with another fine effort. She allowed 5 hits and finished with 6 strike-outs. In the 4th inning, College
Sports Exposure radar Leal's fastball at 61 mph and her knuckle ball between 40-45 mph. Jennifer's father says her
fastball has been radar at 63 mph.
Kelly Osburn and Jamie Hinshaw spoiled Vitek's no hitter. Jamie lead off the 7th inning with a single to right field
but was left stranded at 2nd base. Kelly lead off in the 10th with a single up the middle and was also left stranded
at 2nd base.
Tina Boutelle was responsible for four of the five hits that Leal gave up. Tina hit a line drive single over 3rd base in
the 1st inning but was left stranded at 2nd. She single up the middle in the 9th inning and hit a hard grounder that
Kelly Osburn could only knock down in the 11th inning. Tina finished with the 3 RBI double in the 12th. Kelly
Dunn got the only other hit for Taylor.
Third baseman Brandi Clarke and Short stop Kelly Osburn put on a impressive defense show supporting Leal and
Elkins defensively. In the 7th inning, Raquel Spencer led the inning off. She hit a line drive that was a
rocket shot and that everyone at first thought was surely a base hit. Kelly
jumped high and retrieve the ball for the
first out. It was a great athletic play! Then the Brandi Clarke show started in the 8th inning when she scooped up a
ground ball hit by Stephanie Figgers to Brandi's left that looked like it was in the hole between short and third.
Brandi then fired to first base to just beat Stephanie there! In the 9th inning, Callye Williams hit a grounder in
almost in the same location and Brandi repeated the above play to get the out at first. In the 11th inning with Tina Boutelle
on 2nd base and first base un-occupied, Kelly Dunn hit a ground ball to Brandi. Brandi faked the throw to first and
fired to 2nd base to trap Tina in a run down for out number two. Kelly Dunn advanced to 2nd base during the run down.
Raquel Spencer then hit a scorching grounder to Brandi who threw high to Tiffany Williams. Tiffany jumped high,
caught the throw and then got her foot back down on the bag for the third out according to the umpire.
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