Cardinal Newman pitcher Nazley Wilson delivers a strike. After the game Tuesday, April 7, between the Hammond Skyhawks and the visiting Cardinal Newman Cardinals, it was obvious one team is trying to rebuild a program, and the other is looking to win a second straight SCISA 3A state championship. The Cardinals beat the Skyhawks 16- 0 in a three- inning game that was shortened by the 15- run mercy rule.

Despite the score, the revamped Hammond program looks promising. The varsity roster is 14 players strong with only three seniors, and a junior varsity squad is also full. Plus, the Hammond facilities rival some college campuses.

Still, this was Cardinal Newman's day, and the Cardinals look in championship form. Annalise Hughen started things with a walk, stole second base, then took third base on a delayed steal. She scored on Alex August's line shot to left field. August then followed Hughen's example all the way to third and scored when sister Tori's line drive to center field. That was Cardinal Newman's mantra: get on base, steal them, and score. The Cardinal's took a 3- 0 lead after their first at bat.

Hammond shortstop Jennifer Priester collects a ground ball. Nazley Wilson then took the mound for Cardinal Newman. The Skyhawks threatened in the bottom half of the first when Elizabeth Davidson reached on an error, and Caroline Harris got an infield hit, but Davidson was thrown out at sec- ond base on a fielder's choice and Harris was caught stealing third base.

The bottom fell out in the second inning for Hammond as the Cardinals pounded out 11 hits and ten runs. Hughen had two of those hits to go along with two RBIs, and she scored twice in the inning for Cardinal Newman. Carolyn Barnick blasted a triple to left field scoring Tori August and Wilson. Alex August had two singles and two RBIs in the inning.

The Cardinals tacked on three more runs in the top of the third inning. Teresa Lattimore accounted for two of those runs when her bases loaded double scored Erin Brown and Katherine Gaulin.

The Skyhawks tried to prolong the game in the bottom half of the third, but Hunter Fant was thrown out at home. Wilson then collected her third strike out for the Cardinals and forced Harris to ground out to second base to enact the mercy rule.