JUDA - For Juda-Albany catcher C.J. Dunwiddie, the Strike Out Cancer game against Belmont, the state's No. 6-ranked team in Division 4, was more than just a chance to drive in the game-tying run.
The senior's grandfather is battling cancer and she dedicated a signed ball to him after a controversial 2-0 loss to the Braves on Tuesday.
It marked Juda's fourth annual Strike Out cancer game. The game raises money for cancer research.
"A lot of girls on our team have family members who have had cancer," Dunwiddie said. "It was good that we were out there raising money for them. It was an important game for all of us."
With Juda-Albany (15-7, 9-1 Six Rivers East) trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Belmont committed two errors to give the Panthers a last-ditch scoring opportunity. Dunwiddie ripped what appeared to be a game-tying triple down the right field line. However, the umpire ruled the ball was just foul.
Dunwiddie said she thought it was a fair ball.
"It's the call that was made," Dunwiddie said. "You can't really argue it. There is nothing you can do about it. My adrenaline was going. I knew I had to go back up there and keep attacking. I knew I had to make contact and get on base."
Dunwiddie fouled off several pitches before grounding out to Belmont shortstop Molly Bockhop to end the game. Belmont coach Jeff Hodgson said when Dunwiddie hit the ball down the right field line, his heart skipped a beat until he heard the umpire call foul. If the Panthers and Braves (19-4) play again this season it would come in the state tournament at Goodman Diamond in Madison.
"There are a lot of pitches to be thrown between now and then," Hodgson said whose team was a state qualifier last year. "I think there are 10 teams that can make it to state and we both have the ability."
Bockhop, who went 2-for-2 with a walk, crushed a solo home run to left field off Juda-Albany senior Amber Ramos in the first that staked the Braves to a 1-0 lead. After Bockhop's homer, Ramos retired eight straight batters and had six consecutive strikeouts.
"It (the home run) didn't really impact me much," Ramos said. "I just had to keep my composure on the mound. I just knew I had to be careful pitching to her after that."
Belmont's Katelyn Schobert lined a double to center in the sixth. Ramos walked Bockhop to get to Kalyn Kamps. Kamps delivered a clutch RBI single to center. Ramos pitched a complete game and gave up two runs on four hits. She struck out 14 and walked three.
"They (Juda-Albany) made the right move," Hodgson said of walking Bockhop. "We just made it work for us. Kamps took a lot of the pressure off in the seventh inning with that hit."
The Panthers left 10 runners on base and squandered golden scoring opportunities in the second, third and seventh. Dunwiddie singled down the third base line in the second and then stole second. Jessica Rackow moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt. With one out, the Panthers couldn't knock in the run as Carlie Peters and Courtney Moisan grounded out to end the threat. Kamps tossed a five-hit shutout. She struck out five and walked one.
"I thought Amber threw a heck of a game and kept us in the game," Juda coach Bill Davis said. "We got hits. We just have to get that darn hit with runners in scoring position. They (Belmont) came up with the clutch hits. That is what teams have to do to win close games."
In the third, Juda-Albany's Morganne Goecks singled to center and Katlyn DeVoe ripped a double to right. With runners on second and third, the Panthers again stranded two on base. Kamps was able to strike out Tabatha Davis and Ramos.
"When we have runners in scoring position we have to put the ball in play," Davis said. "Those are the things you have to do to win close ballgames."
The Panthers turned in several spectacular plays. Dunwiddie threw two runners out trying to steal and DeVoe made a running catch in foul territory in the fifth.
Juda-Albany now turns its attention to the regional where they will receive a first round bye. The Panthers will play the winner of Argyle and Barneveld on Tuesday, May 29 in Juda. Dunwiddie wanted to use the game against Belmont as a spark for the tournament.
"We based it off the tournament," she said of the game against the Braves. "We knew if we would have won that would have gave us momentum going into the tournament. Even with a loss, we will be even more ready to play in the playoffs."
The senior's grandfather is battling cancer and she dedicated a signed ball to him after a controversial 2-0 loss to the Braves on Tuesday.
It marked Juda's fourth annual Strike Out cancer game. The game raises money for cancer research.
"A lot of girls on our team have family members who have had cancer," Dunwiddie said. "It was good that we were out there raising money for them. It was an important game for all of us."
With Juda-Albany (15-7, 9-1 Six Rivers East) trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Belmont committed two errors to give the Panthers a last-ditch scoring opportunity. Dunwiddie ripped what appeared to be a game-tying triple down the right field line. However, the umpire ruled the ball was just foul.
Dunwiddie said she thought it was a fair ball.
"It's the call that was made," Dunwiddie said. "You can't really argue it. There is nothing you can do about it. My adrenaline was going. I knew I had to go back up there and keep attacking. I knew I had to make contact and get on base."
Dunwiddie fouled off several pitches before grounding out to Belmont shortstop Molly Bockhop to end the game. Belmont coach Jeff Hodgson said when Dunwiddie hit the ball down the right field line, his heart skipped a beat until he heard the umpire call foul. If the Panthers and Braves (19-4) play again this season it would come in the state tournament at Goodman Diamond in Madison.
"There are a lot of pitches to be thrown between now and then," Hodgson said whose team was a state qualifier last year. "I think there are 10 teams that can make it to state and we both have the ability."
Bockhop, who went 2-for-2 with a walk, crushed a solo home run to left field off Juda-Albany senior Amber Ramos in the first that staked the Braves to a 1-0 lead. After Bockhop's homer, Ramos retired eight straight batters and had six consecutive strikeouts.
"It (the home run) didn't really impact me much," Ramos said. "I just had to keep my composure on the mound. I just knew I had to be careful pitching to her after that."
Belmont's Katelyn Schobert lined a double to center in the sixth. Ramos walked Bockhop to get to Kalyn Kamps. Kamps delivered a clutch RBI single to center. Ramos pitched a complete game and gave up two runs on four hits. She struck out 14 and walked three.
"They (Juda-Albany) made the right move," Hodgson said of walking Bockhop. "We just made it work for us. Kamps took a lot of the pressure off in the seventh inning with that hit."
The Panthers left 10 runners on base and squandered golden scoring opportunities in the second, third and seventh. Dunwiddie singled down the third base line in the second and then stole second. Jessica Rackow moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt. With one out, the Panthers couldn't knock in the run as Carlie Peters and Courtney Moisan grounded out to end the threat. Kamps tossed a five-hit shutout. She struck out five and walked one.
"I thought Amber threw a heck of a game and kept us in the game," Juda coach Bill Davis said. "We got hits. We just have to get that darn hit with runners in scoring position. They (Belmont) came up with the clutch hits. That is what teams have to do to win close games."
In the third, Juda-Albany's Morganne Goecks singled to center and Katlyn DeVoe ripped a double to right. With runners on second and third, the Panthers again stranded two on base. Kamps was able to strike out Tabatha Davis and Ramos.
"When we have runners in scoring position we have to put the ball in play," Davis said. "Those are the things you have to do to win close ballgames."
The Panthers turned in several spectacular plays. Dunwiddie threw two runners out trying to steal and DeVoe made a running catch in foul territory in the fifth.
Juda-Albany now turns its attention to the regional where they will receive a first round bye. The Panthers will play the winner of Argyle and Barneveld on Tuesday, May 29 in Juda. Dunwiddie wanted to use the game against Belmont as a spark for the tournament.
"We based it off the tournament," she said of the game against the Braves. "We knew if we would have won that would have gave us momentum going into the tournament. Even with a loss, we will be even more ready to play in the playoffs."
