Plymouth rallies for clutch victory over Livonia Stevenson, 4-3

May 11, 2010, 1:15 a.m.

  Plymouth's dynamic duo struck again Monday afternoon, for the umpteenth time in their stellar four-year varsity careers.

  But the odds are pretty good that Stacey Klonowski and Amanda Burnard will be heard from again (and again, and again...) as the Wildcats head into the home stretch of the 2010 season.

  With the score knotted at 3-3 against Livonia Stevenson, Klonowski laced a two-out triple up the right-center field gap. Burnard then put the 'Cats ahead for good by pulling an outside pitch to left field for the game-winning single.

  "They were trying to pitch Amanda outside, not giving her much to hit," said Plymouth coach Val Canfield. "But she is so strong, she was able to hit a line drive to left. It was a great piece of hitting."

  The Wildcats tied the game one inning earlier when Burnard reached first, moved to second on a Karen Rebain sacrifice bunt, move to third on an Elaine Gerou fielder's choice and scored when Tessa Heldmeyer's line shot was mishandled by the Spartans' shortstop.

  "Our experience really made the difference today," said Canfield. "These girls really feed off the pressure."

  Freshman right-hander Elaine Gerou earned the mound victory over Plymouth, striking out three in six innings of work.

  The Spartans got out of the blocks fast, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Plymouth countered with two of its own in the fourth, but the Spartans regained the lead with a run in the fifth.

  The Spartans threatened to tie it up in the bottom of the seventh when their lead-off batter walked and was sacrificed to second. However, Gerou calmly worked out of the jam, getting Nina Bonnano to fly out to center on a great grab by Jessica Bondy, before inducing Anna Plumley to foul out to Plymouth catcher Kayla Rebain.

WILDCATS SWEEP ROCKETS
  On May 5, the Wildcats took a pair of games from Westland John Glenn.

  Gerou hurled a complete-game three-hitter in the 11-1 opening-game triumph, striking out seven while issuing just two walks.

  Sparking the team's 14-hit attack were Bondy (2-for-5, three runs), Klonowski (3-for-5, two runs, three RBI), Burnard (2-for-4, double), Gerou (2-for-4), Heldmeyer (2-for-4) and Christy Pattison (2-for-4).

  Lauren Smith earned the mound victory in the nightcap, a 15-5 win for the 'Cats. Smith gave up six hits -- five in the Rockets' five-run fifth -- and one walk. She also scored a pair of runs.

  Also shining at the plate for Plymouth were Burnard (2-for-4, two RBI), Bri Giordano (2-for-3, two runs), Gerou (3-for-3, two RBI), Kayla Rebain (three runs), Bondy (3-for-3, three runs) and Klonowski, who ripped two doubles and a triple.