Softball: Lisle falls to Sherrard in Class 2A supersectional

Updated: May 28, 2012 7:50PM

Lisle senior Melanie Early will go down as one of the most talented pitchers and most liked players in Lisle softball history.

She will likely not want to be remembered by her last pitching performance, but her last at bat will certainly be something she’ll be willing to talk about. With no outs in the bottom of the seventh trailing by eight, Early finally got the Lions on the board with a 2-run home run.

It was hardly enough, however, as the Sherrard hitters were too much during an 8-2 victory in the Class 2A Northern Illinois University supersectional final on Monday.

The Lions (30-4) failed to make consecutive appearances downstate, while the Tigers (30-5) go down for the first time in a decade.

“It would have been really nice to graduate down there like last year’s class,” Early said. “I wanted it so bad. They outhit us and I congratulate them. That was the best hitting team I faced this year.”

The Tigers pounded 12 hits, scoring twice in the first, third and fourth, and one in the second and sixth. Rebecca Patterson and Karlee Rumler had three hits each, while senior Megan Kissner got the bats going in the first with a two-run line drive laser over the left center field wall.

Meanwhile the pitching combination of lefty senior Ashley Anderson and right handed freshman Rachel Winston held the Lions to three hits and combined for five strike outs and two walks.

“I didn’t think it was over until my coach told me to slow down,” said Kissner of her home run.

“I just want to cry, this is awesome that we are going downstate. This team has worked so hard every day.”

Shelby Kretman and Abby Tarasewicz got the other two hits for the Lions.

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