When Noll took full advantage of the gift and scored two runs to tie the game, Kiraly's pearly whites were on display again.
Oh, did we also mention that up until that point she was 0-for-2 at the plate?
"It seems the sectionals have a jinx on me," she said. "I didn't do well in the basketball sectionals either. There's just something about the sectionals that just doesn't work for me."
Maybe, in spite of the miscues, she knew something the rest of us didn't because two innings later, her playoff fortunes turned for the better. And everyone at Hanover Central will have a collective smile today.
Kiraly's eighth-inning, three-run home run was the security Hanover needed in its 7-3 victory over Noll that punches their ticket to the Laville Regional on May 31. It also ended a whirlwind 24 hours for the Warriors, who the day before upset tournament co-favorite Wheeler, then came back from a two-run deficit to force Hanover into extra innings before Kiraly ended her postseason problems.
"I'm just really upset right now," Noll pitcher Ramona Delgado said. "I gave up two home runs and that's like my worst nightmare."
A first-inning two-run shot by Kelsey Jankowski made it 2-0 Hanover before the Warriors (19-11) made a late run to tie the game. Kiraly's error led to RBI by Mehgan Jagielski and Jessica Miles to tie the game at three before Hanover won the game in the eighth.
With runners are second and third with one out, Tiffany Gibson hit a ground ball to Noll shortstop Kacey Amendola whose throw to the plate was late, scoring pinch runner Danielle Nowak with the go-ahead run. Two batters later, Kiraly finished Noll off.
"Noll is a good team, they never give up," Kiraly said. "They're a quality team and you have to give them all the credit in the world."
Hanover Central's Jessica Toth was the winning pitcher, going the distance while striking out six and walking two.
"This was a really good game," Toth said. "Noll hit the ball pretty well today but we really wanted this one pretty badly."
Jankowski had two hits for Hanover (21-7) while Jagielski got on base three times for Noll.
