Northwest Softball Loses Roller-Coaster Contest Against Churchill

With the score tied in the top of the seventh inning at Churchill High School, Northwest catcher Emily Forst smashed a line drive into the left-center field gap. As she rounded second base and headed for a triple, head coach Kevin Corpuz waived the senior home, knowing it would take a strong relay to throw her out. The Bulldogs mishandled the ball and Forst crossed the plate and smiled, giving the Jaguars a 3-2 lead.

Northwest overcame a late-inning deficit and had momentum on its side. But after Churchill got its turn to bat in the bottom half of the inning, Forst’s face, once a canvas for expression of joyful accomplishment, turned to a teary-eyed tale of disappointment.

Kara Cuddapah’s two-run single gave the Churchill softball team a 4-3 victory over Northwest on Saturday morning in Potomac. The walk-off effort ended a game that started as a pitching duel and finished as roller-coaster ride of clutch hitting.

“We were just so close,” Forst said. “When I hit the [triple] and we were up 3-2 it felt really good because we had that chance [to win]. But they made their hits just like we did. They thought they were going to win that inning. We came back, got our hits … and they made their plays. I’m not upset at the fact we didn’t do our best because we did do our best. It’s just they did a little better.”

With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Churchill catcher Mariah Schoch put the Bulldogs ahead with a two-out RBI single. The lead was short-lived, however, as Northwest rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh. Freshman Jordan Sheppard came off the bench and led off the frame with a triple. Two batters later, second baseman Ciarra Cristostomo laid down a bunt that scored Sheppard. With two outs, Forst belted a triple and scored on a Churchill error.

Like the Bulldogs before them, the Jaguars failed to hold a seventh-inning lead. Churchill’s Liz Berriman and Morgan Messner singled and Sarah Adams walked to load the bases with no outs. Cuddapah followed with a ground ball through the middle of the infield that plated two and ended the contest.

“That’s a tough emotion there to be on top of the world and then all of the sudden you’re at the very bottom,” Corpuz said. “That’s a tough loss and the emotions of that, it definitely hit all of us, from the coaching staff to the players. That’s a tough one to swallow.”

Cuddapah, batting second in the Bulldogs’ lineup, was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts prior to her game-winning single.

“The funny thing is: on deck, I’ve got my two best hitters,” Churchill head coach James Collins said. “I’m like, well, if she strikes out we’re still OK. If she gets a walk, even better, but just don’t hit into a double play. Then I see a grounder up the middle and I winced --- but then it gets through. … She did a fantastic job.”

Northwest (2-3) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning after Corpuz won an appeal of an umpire’s ruling. With two outs and a runner on third, freshman Jenna Brown hit a line drive that was knocked down by the Churchill third baseman, who threw to first for an out. Corpuz appealed that the Churchill first baseman’s foot was on the orange “safety base” rather than the actual first-base bag. Corpuz’s appeal was upheld, meaning Brown was safe at first and the runner who was at third was credited with scoring.

Churchill (3-1) answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Maddie Ulanow drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a bloop single from Katie Jenkins.

Senior pitcher Meghan O’Lone picked up the win for Churchill, allowing three runs --- one earned --- and nine hits while walking none and striking out 11 in seven innings. Sophomore Stephanie Miller suffered the loss for Northwest, surrendering four earned runs and six hits while walking six and striking out five in six-plus innings.

Forst, who will play at UMBC next season, finished 4 for 4 with a pair of triples. The senior is starting to heat up at the plate after blasting a home run against Gaithersburg on Wednesday in a game that was suspended due to inclement weather after four innings.

“I think I’m getting more confident and relaxed,” she said. “I just stand up there and just relax because I know when I’m tense it doesn’t work.”

Corpuz refers to Forst as the “heart and soul” of the Jaguars. She’s the team’s top offensive threat and its emotional leader.

“She’s starting to catch fire here,” Corpuz said. “… She’s been working hard, she’s been staying in tune. I’ve really noticed her mental focus --- she’s zoned in --- and you can see it when she’s up there at the plate. … Emotionally, she’s in the dugout, she’s the one talking to the girls, rallying them, making sure that we are staying in tune.

“You could see it on her face, she took it the hardest. She cares that much. That’s what you want from your leaders.”

Northwest sophomore shortstop Taylor Simpson went 3 for 3. Churchill’s Berriman was 2 for 2.

The Jaguars are scheduled to finish their suspended game against Gaithersburg at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday at home. Northwest will host Wootton at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

“We like the character of our team,” Corpuz said. “[Our] backs were against the wall, it’s your last at bat, last inning and we needed to find a way to score at least one and [we] came out and went ahead and jumped on the lead.”

Churchill 4, Northwest 3

           123   456   7       R       H       E

NHS  001   000   2       3       9       1

CHS   001   001   2       4       6       2

WP --- Meghan O’Lone (7IP, 9H, 3R, ER, 0BB, 11K)

LP --- Stephanie Miller (6+IP, 6H, 4ER, 6BB, 5K)

Top Northwest hitters --- Emily Forst (4-4, R, 2 3B); Taylor Simpson (3-3); Jordan Sheppard (1-1, 2R, 3B)