Poland beats West Branch

Liz Maher pitched a two-hitter and struck out 10 in the 5-1 victory.
VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
BELOIT -- Liz Maher tossed a two-hitter, striking out 10, as the Poland High softball team defeated West Branch, 5-1, Thursday in a Division II sectional tournament game on the Warriors' field.
The only West Branch batter to solve Maher was Allison Edie, who singled twice and scored the Warriors' only run in the second inning.
"Her last three games she's had two shutouts and ... today," said Poland coach Reid Lamport, whose team won a game played in a steady rain and advanced to a district semifinal on Thursday at JAG Field in Jefferson.
Maher (8-1) had to work early -- her only walk was to West Branch's leadoff hitter, Bri Benedict, to start the game -- and three errors in the second inning led to the Warriors' run.
But she finished strong, retiring the last 12 batters she faced after Edie's leadoff single in the fourth inning.
"The weather was tough, and for a power pitcher, I think she'd prefer a dryer ball," said Lamport of Maher, "but I thought she did a good job of adjusting."
Bulldogs take control early
Poland (19-3) took a lead it would not relinquish in the bottom of the first inning.
Allie Patton led off with a single and advanced to third when the ball skipped past an outfielder and went to the fence. Kari Thompson followed with a walk and stole second, then Ashley Conger singled to center, scoring both runners.
Patton and Conger had two hits apiece, and Conger drove in three runs.
The Warriors (8-19) made it 2-1 the next inning. Edie beat out an infield hit and went to second on an errant throw. One out later she scored on another errant throw.
It stayed that way until the fifth when Poland scored twice more.
Conger led off with a bunt single and went to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Jenna Susany drilled a single to center, putting runners on the corners. Ciera Urichich's ground out scored Conger, then Amanda Gittings doubled over the left-fielder's head to score Susany.
In the sixth, Jenna Medina was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and came around to score on a groundout by Conger.
Todor kept Poland off balance
"Their pitcher [Lyndsey Todor] changed speeds all game and kept it low and away," Lamport said. "She had us on our heels or out on our front foot and made us swing at pitches out of our zone."
Todor (6-18) struck out 10, but walked five and hit one, and two of those issued free passes came around to score.
For West Branch coach Sis Woods, the offensive inefficiency was a season-long dilemma.
"We had runners but we couldn't get the big hit to bring them around," she said. "We've had so many games this season where we scored one or zero runs, and you're just not going to win many that way."