Dulaney finishes on winning note

Regardless of the outcome of yesterday's Baltimore County softball championship game, Class 1A-2A regular-season champ Towson was heading for a state regional semifinal game tomorrow but Class 3A-4A winner Dulaney would be finished for the season.

So the Lions, who did not qualify for the state playoffs, seized the opportunity to finish the season on a positive note as Melissa Krawczyk tripled with one out in the bottom of the 10th and Katherine Cook followed with a sacrifice fly and the host Lions (12-4) stunned No. 7 Towson, 3-2.

"I had to shorten my swing because she's [Dulaney's Katherine Bevans] a fast pitcher," said Cook, who was down to her last strike. "I had to swing at anything close and get her [Krawczyk] home some way. This win means a lot because this is my last high school softball game."

"Coach told me to move up in the box because the pitcher was throwing drop pitches," said Krawczyk, who had one of just two hits against Bevans. "I was trying to get on base, but I wanted to hit the ball somewhere in the outfield, not on the ground."

Kim Curran pitched a complete game for Dulaney, scattering 11 hits, striking out six and walking three.

Other than Krawczyk's triple, Bevans allowed a single by Cook in the eighth and had five strikeouts. Bevans got 13 Lions to ground out.

Towson (15-3) broke through with two runs in the third. Sarah Stokes bunted home Laura Schott, who had reached on a bunt single. A single by Bevans scored Jessica Clerkin, who also had reached on a bunt single. Six of the Generals' 11 hits were bunts.

Dulaney tied the game in the fourth with two runs. Paige Young walked and Livia Brocato was hit by a pitch. Each advanced a base with a steal then scored when Christy Medlin hit a grounder to Bevans who threw out Medlin at first but the throw to the plate was wild and allowed both runners to score.

"Dulaney played a heck of a good game," said Towson coach Paul Becker.

Dulaney coach Elaine Lindsay said, "We could have fielded ground balls better. I wish we could have fielded the bunts better. I still feel real good, though."

Baseball

* Patapsco 5, Franklin 3: Don Peters hit a two-run home run and Billy Cox had a double as No. 15 and visiting Patapsco (12-6) upset No. 6 Franklin (15-3).

D8 Jim Trice (4-0) pitched a complete game for the win.