Softball: Near no-hitter by Brandi Faverty leads Lowell

Updated: March 26, 2012 10:20PM

MERRILLVILLE — Brandi Faverty was making her varsity debut in the circle, but the Lowell sophomore performed like a seasoned veteran. The righthander struck out eight hitters and pitched a one-hitter, leading Lowell to a 6-0 season-opening victory over Merrillville Monday.

“I had a little bit of butterflies, but I took a few deep breathes and relaxed on the bus ride over there and prepared myself,” she said.

Faverty said she knew she had a no-hitter entering the bottom of the seventh. That’s when Pirates’ shortstop Mercedes McClendon smacked a one-out single to right field to spoil things for her.

“I wasn’t really trying to think about it much,” Faverty said. “I was just trying to throw the ball where I was supposed to and just hold ‘em. For a first game, I thought that was pretty good.”

Sophomore first baseman, Alyssa Pokropinski, provided all the offense needed when she drove in a pair of runs with a two-run single in the fifth inning, doubled, then reached base on a walk in the seventh, and scored on a two-run double by Cassie Kroll.

“I was just really anxious to hit the ball in our first game today,” Pokropinski said. “Brandi was pitching a real good game, so I felt I just had to try and step up and help my team score.”

Lowell coach Pete Iussig, who returned to coaching after a ‘one-year ‘retirement,’ liked the way Faverty pitched.

“She pitched well and was hitting her spots,” he said.

Merrillville first-year coach Dave Lopez was happy with the way his team performed.

“Those first three innings, we got out of some jams there,” he said. “I’m proud of my kids for the way they played. I told them after the game to just be more aggressive at the plate.”

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