Pitcher's Duel Results In 5-0 Chesapeake Win Over Northeast

By Colin Murphy

On April 15 at Bachman Sports Complex, the Chesapeake High School softball team fortified its position atop the Baltimore Sun rankings with an assertive 5-0 victory over the Northeast High School Eagles to remain undefeated at 10-0. The final score belies what was a tight game throughout, as strong starting pitching from both teams kept the game close before a couple timely hits by visiting Chesapeake proved the difference.

“A typical Northeast-Chesapeake type of game,” said Chesapeake Head Coach Don Ellenberger after the contest. “[Northeast Coach Joe Hart] had his team ready, [Northeast junior starting pitcher Brittany Magee] had us off-balance all game long… We were fortunate to get the key hits and make the plays defensively when we had to.”

Chesapeake took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning following an error by Northeast that would have been the final out. From there, Northeast faced an uphill battle all day in the form of Chesapeake senior starting pitcher Megan Hyson, who used her rising fastball to devastating effect, recording 11 strikeouts on the night in a complete-game shutout.

“With our defense, there’s no reason not to be confident. You just go out and pitch your game and know they’re behind you,” said a happy Hyson after the game.

To their credit, Northeast kept the game close with some strong starting pitching of their own, as junior Brittany Magee pitched a complete game and surrendered runs in only the first and seventh innings, each time after an error by Northeast had given the Cougars an extra out to work with.

“The score doesn’t show how well she threw today,” said Hart of Magee. “She threw a great game. She’s not a power pitcher, but she’s got movement and she hits her locations. I’m proud of how she did.”

Hart went on to add that he was pleased with his team’s effort overall. “Other than that seventh inning, this is one of the best games we’ve played. Chesapeake’s an awesome team. For a young team [like ours] with no seniors, if we can learn from today, we’ll have the season we want,” he added.

The pivotal moment of the game came in the top of the seventh with Chesapeake still clinging to the 2-0 lead they established in the first. With one out and two runners on, Chesapeake’s Olivia Ravadge stepped to the plate.

“Coach asked me before I came up, ‘what did I want to do?’” recalled Ravadge, adding that with runs so hard to come by up to that point, bunting was discussed as an option. “I told him I wanted to hit,” she continued.

It was a good decision for the Cougars and Ravadge, who crushed the first pitch she saw deep into the night sky for a three-run homer that sent her teammates into a frenzy. It all but put the game out of reach for Northeast, who found themselves trailing by five with just three outs remaining.

Chesapeake closed out the game on the strength of a spectacular play by third baseman Kim Federowicz with none out. Federowicz, who also had two singles and scored a run in the game, dove to her right to knock down a rocket shot grounder and then threw from her knees to cut down the Northeast runner. Hyson recorded her 11th strikeout and then snared a come-backer to record the game’s final two outs and secure the victory for Chesapeake.

“We have great team chemistry,” said Ravadge of her team’s progress so far this season. “We work together. If someone gets down, we pick each other up.”

Ellenberger is likewise pleased with where his team is at this point in the season, but realizes challenges still lay ahead. “We’re 10-0, so, of course, we’re happy with that but it’s not about what we do now, it’s about what we do in May. We’re still looking to get better,” he concluded.