Andrew Strikes With Thunder From Christner's Bat

Andrew junior Kelly Christner has had plenty of stellar games for the T-Bolts throughout the season.

But in the biggest game of Andrew’s year--playing a tough Homewood-Flossmoor squad that just upset second-seeded Stagg--Christner turned in a perfect performance, enabling Andrew to notch a 6-3 victory over the Vikings Thursday and advance to the Class 4A Lockport Sectional finals.

“It’s actually funny (I hit well) because earlier today me and my sister (T-Bolts shortstop Katie Christner) were hitting whiffle balls in the yard, and I was hitting really bad," Kelly Christner said. "My sister told me, ‘Even though you are hitting bad, you are going to go out there and go 3-for-3.’  After the game, she said she told me so."

Christner actually one-upped her sister's forecast, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. With the T-Bolts down 3-2 heading into the sixth inning, Christer knocked in the game-tying run and scored what proved to be the game-winning run two batters later. The T-Bolt offense kept the inning alive, adding two more runs for insurance to take the lead and the game 6-3.

“Those first couple innings they came out strong, and we knew we had to stay in it and not give up,” Christner said. “We knew we would come back in the end.”

Andrew pitcher Brooke Hofer pitched an absolute gem after surviving a shaky second inning and tough third inning, too, as the Vikings assumed the lead.  Over the last four innings, Hofer allowed only one H-F batter to reach base. She finished with six strikeouts.

Now, Andrew is set to play top-seeded Sandburg in the sectional finals at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The two teams met last year in the playoffs with Sandburg emerging victorious.

“I’m excited," Hofer said.  "We don’t want to let them end our season again like they did last year, so we’ll come out strong and keep playing like we’re playing.  I think we’ll do really well."