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MERRILLVILLE — Like so many others, Morghyn Neal heard the whispers. Exactly what would Andrean do without all-state catcher, Kelly Ryan? How could the 59ers ever replace Ryan’s talent, leadership and smarts behind the plate? While many Andrean fans were likely fretting about exactly who could possibly fill Ryan’s shoes, Neal never doubted for an instant she’d be successful behind the plate … ]]> Fri, 08 Jun 2012 20:32:03 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/13067584-393/softball-niners-morghyn-neal-the-real-deal.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/13067584-393/softball-niners-morghyn-neal-the-real-deal.html
MERRILLVILLE — Incredible and unbelievable are two good words to describe Andrean pitcher Nikki Steinbach. The 59ers’ ace has been nothing short of brilliant in the circle again this season. While leading her team to the Class 3A state championship game a year ago, Steinbach was amazing. Even though the 59ers lost 8-0 to Indianapolis Roncalli, Steinbach finished the season 22-4, with … ]]> Thu, 31 May 2012 21:52:08 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/12900998-393/softball-andreans-nikki-steinbach-better-than-ever.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/12900998-393/softball-andreans-nikki-steinbach-better-than-ever.html MERRILLVILLE — Andrean pitcher Nikki Steinbach was looking for some redemption on Wednesday. After a less-than-stellar performance — by her standards — on Tuesday against Munster, Steinbach responded by throwing a no-hitter in a 2-0 Andrean (10-1, 7-1 NCC) victory over Lowell (8-8, 3-5). “After my game against Munster I wanted to step up because I didn’t do my best in that … ]]> Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:33:40 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/12140227-393/andreans-nikki-steinbach-no-hits-munster.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/12140227-393/andreans-nikki-steinbach-no-hits-munster.html
MERRILLVILLE — It was a classic showdown between two outstanding pitchers. Kankakee Valley’s Ashley Dobson and Andrean’s Nikki Steinbach are both stingy in the circle, but it was the Kougars (5-2, 3-1) who rode Dobson’s arm to pull out a 2-1 Northwest Crossroads Conference win over Andrean (4-1, 3-1) Wednesday. Kankakee Valley sophomore Lindsay Fenstermaker’s two-out, two-run double in the top of … ]]> Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:19:52 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/11851999-393/softball-kankakee-valley-ashley-dobsons-arm-to-victory.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/11851999-393/softball-kankakee-valley-ashley-dobsons-arm-to-victory.html MERRILLVILLE — A powerful offense and a masterful pitching performance led Andrean to a 7-0 victory over NCC rival Munster. “This is the team that I want to see,” said Andrean coach Brooke Baker-Runyon. “They were more intense. They kept bad plays from bleeding and they kept the good plays going.” Both offense and defense clicked for Andrean, but the standout individual … ]]> Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:38:01 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/11703405-393/softball-andrean-nearly-perfect-in-win-over-munster.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/11703405-393/softball-andrean-nearly-perfect-in-win-over-munster.html
MERRILLVILLE — She may have been wearing Lake Central colors at one of the first official Andrean softball practices, but it didn’t take long for Brooke Baker-Runyon to figure out her first head coaching position was a different animal than her playing days. Late in that first week, she only had eight players for the JV squad, and that was after two girls … ]]> Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:06:29 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/11478212-393/softball-andrean-has-a-new-coach-same-lofty-goal.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/11478212-393/softball-andrean-has-a-new-coach-same-lofty-goal.html
MERRILLVILLE — She may have been wearing Lake Central colors at one of the first official Andrean softball practices, but it didn’t take long for Brooke Baker-Runyon to figure out her first head coaching position was a different animal than her playing days. Late in that first week, she only had eight players for the JV squad, and that was after two girls … ]]> Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:04:05 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/11478180-393/softball-andrean-has-a-new-coach-same-lofty-goal.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/11478180-393/softball-andrean-has-a-new-coach-same-lofty-goal.html
Ashley Dobson had thrown only a few pitches before Andrean’s Savvy Kinsella smacked the Kankakee Valley pitcher’s next offering over the center-field fence. Kinsella’s leadoff home run — against one of the state’s top pitchers — provided a tremendous boost of confidence for the 59ers in their 2-0 win over the Kougars in the Class 3A Griffith Sectional title game two weeks … ]]> Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:55:04 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5874269-393/sophomore-kinsella-shows-plenty-of-savvy.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5874269-393/sophomore-kinsella-shows-plenty-of-savvy.html
MONTICELLO — Taylor Horn started running back to the dugout after she swung at the second strike thrown by Nikki Steinbach in the sixth inning. Steinbach had broken their collective psyche by that point. Even if they weren’t struck out already, they were likely to. Steinbach was, in two words, near flawless Monday in Andrean’s 4-0 victory over Mississinewa in the Twin … ]]> Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:38:54 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5818736-393/too-much-steinbach.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5818736-393/too-much-steinbach.html MONTICELLO — Through five innings of Saturday’s Class 3A Twin Lakes Semistate semifinal, it didn’t look good for Andrean. After giving up only one run in her previous four postseason games, ace pitcher Nikki Steinbach gave up three in the fifth inning to Columbia City. And the 59ers’ offense kept to its recent pattern of leaving runners on base — they averaged … ]]> Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:48:41 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5781281-393/59ers-regroup-to-knock-off-columbia-city.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5781281-393/59ers-regroup-to-knock-off-columbia-city.html MERRILLVILLE — Following the conclusion of the Andrean Regional, both teams went to their respected dugouts and celebrated to an extent. But without knowing thee final score, it would have been hard to determine Andrean was on the winning side of a 1-0 regional title game, the 59ers’ fifth straight crown. Gavit (13-8) was the heavy underdog coming in, but played up … ]]> Tue, 31 May 2011 22:23:38 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5706090-393/niners-nix-glads-upset-bid.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5706090-393/niners-nix-glads-upset-bid.html Andrean’s formula coming into any game that Nicole Steinbach starts in the circle is to get a run early and then play solid defense the rest of the way. On Saturday at the Griffith Sectional championship that formula was executed to perfection as Savannah Kinsella led off the first inning with a towering home run over the center-field fence as Andrean captured … ]]> Sat, 28 May 2011 23:54:03 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5656157-393/steinbach-andrean-outduel-dobson-kankakee-valley.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5656157-393/steinbach-andrean-outduel-dobson-kankakee-valley.html
Maybe it was the fact Ball State University head coach Craig Nicholson was in the bleachers watching her. Maybe it was just postseason nerves — although for Andrean pitcher, Nikki Steinbach, that’s a little bit difficult to believe. Whatever it was that appeared to be bothering the Ball State-bound senior, didn’t last long. Even after Andrean’s 2-1 win over the Panthers (12-10) … ]]> Sat, 28 May 2011 00:22:00 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5639729-393/andreans-steinbach-ks-15-in-front-of-ball-state-coach.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5639729-393/andreans-steinbach-ks-15-in-front-of-ball-state-coach.html … ]]> Tue, 24 May 2011 22:52:01 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5577984-393/survival-of-the-fitness-59ers-pull-out-win.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5577984-393/survival-of-the-fitness-59ers-pull-out-win.html HIGHLAND — With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the bases loaded and a full count, Highland’s Brooke Fowler delivered the Trojans’ biggest hit of the season. The senior center-fielder hit a three-run, walk-off double to give the struggling Trojans an improbable 5-4 victory over conference-leading Andrean. “I’ve had a home run this season, but nothing that’s felt as … ]]> Mon, 09 May 2011 22:46:04 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5282414-393/fowlers-hit-helps-trojans-beat-59ers.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/andrean/softball/5282414-393/fowlers-hit-helps-trojans-beat-59ers.html