Amherst Lightning outlasts the field for 16-under title

The New York team won four games Saturday and beat Maryland in the final.
By ZACH STIPE
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
VIENNA -- After hundreds of games and hosting 113 teams, the 16-under PONY National Softball Championships crowned a winner on Saturday.
Amherst Lightning Gold of New York defeated the Severna Park Hornets of Maryland, 2-1, in the championship game at the Thunderplex.
The Lighting lasted through a grueling Saturday in which they had to win four consecutive games to be crowned champion. The fastpitch team from the Buffalo-area finished 10-0 for the tournament.
Lightning head coach Steve Ulmer said that fatigue had little effect on his squad.
"The fatigue played into our favor," Ulmer said. "We have two really tough number-one pitchers."
Outstanding pitchers
While other teams became exhausted towards the final rounds of the tournament, the Lightning were able maintain their edge thanks to the superb play of pitchers Holly Johnson and Michelle Krier.
Johnson and Krier combined to pick up all four wins for the Lightning on Saturday.
Johnson said that she had no trouble staying strong through those games because of splitting time with Krier.
"It wasn't too bad," Johnson said, acknowledging her fellow ace. "We didn't give up many runs for the whole tournament."
Johnson started the championship game and gave up no runs, while scattering five hits. The 16-year-old struck out six Hornets in five innings.
Krier got the last out of the fifth inning and pitched the final two innings to secure the national championship for the Lightning.
She struck out four and allowed one run on two hits.
Hornets threaten
The Hornets looked in position to break a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning of the championship game.
Hornets shortstop Jennifer Haag and center fielder Erika Stasch led off the inning with back-to-back singles.
With one out, Haag and Stasch completed a double steal to put runners at second and third base with one out for the Hornets.
The Lightning were able to escape the inning unharmed, though. Haag nearly scored the game's first run but was tagged out at the plate.
The Lightning got on the board first in the top of the fourth. Shortstop Katie Lancellotti led off the inning with an infield single and was followed a Kerry Ulmer walk.
Bunt, error the difference
A wild pitch from Hornets pitcher Megan Sheaf moved the girls into scoring position. A bunt by catcher Kyrstin Lekki and a throwing error by the Hornets scored Lancellotti and Ulmer to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead.
The Hornets threatened in the next two innings, but were only able to score one run on an RBI single from third baseman Kara Paseka.
Krier pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to snag the national championship.
Center fielder Amanda Cannizo led off the game with a double for the Lightning, while Lekki led the team with two RBIs.
For the Hornets, Stasch tallied two hits and Paseka drove in their only run. Pitchers Elaine Nescio and Sheaf combined to record five strikeouts and allow only four hits.
Ulmer couldn't say enough about the outstanding play of Lekki, who was forced to catch the last seven games for the Lightning because of injuries.
"Kid was a trooper," Ulmer said.
Lekki also hit her first home run in an earlier game on Saturday.
Ulmer said that the furthest the Lightning had gone in a previous PONY National Tournaments was a "Sweet 16" finish as a 13-under team.
Johnson said that team's goal was to simply finish in the final 16 again.
"[We were] just hoping to get to the 'Sweet 16,' " she said, while smiling and holding a trophy over half her size. "It was a great week."
zstipe@vindy.com