Softball: Lane advances to Public League final, seeks six straight title

Updated: May 18, 2012 8:35PM

The first of two Public League semifinals was exactly what it was supposed to be when Longwood faced five-time defending city champion Lane at UIC.

An eight-run first inning had the Indians quickly thinking about title No. 6 after finally finishing off the Panthers 10-0 in five innings. The Indians (23-11) will meet Young in Saturday’s title game at noon.

“Taft was the last team to beat us in the city playoffs back in 2005,” said Lane coach George Stavrakas, who was an assistant on that team.

Senior Kaleigh Ambrose went two innings, striking out two and didn’t allow a hit. Ambrose was relieved by sophomore Avelyss Roman in the third. She struck out nine in three innings, allowed two hits and got out of a base loaded, nobody out jam in the fourth.

“It was amazing I’ve never pitched in a big stadium like this before,” Roman said. “Next year our star pitcher (Ambrose) will be gone and this shows me how important it is to throw strikes.

“We are defending champions and we would like to keep it that way, especially for the three seniors.”

Ambrose, who is also the leadoff hitter, was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored by her personal pinch runner Grace Tamayo. She watched from the bench the rest of the way as her team score one in the fourth and one in the fifth to end the game by the 10-run mercy rule against the Panthers (15-7).

Hailey Pieruccini had a triple for the Indians for the only extra base hit of the game.

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