AMHERST – With a pair of shutouts by its first-line pitchers, fifth-ranked Amherst won its school record-tying 19th straight softball game Saturday afternoon.
In the process, the Comets also won their own tournament, the 23rd annual Comet Invitational, at Sliman`s Diamond.
They got a 12-strikeout one-hitter from junior Jessica Sand in a 10-0 run-rule win over Bay. And freshman Jennifer Sutton hurled a 14-strikeout three-hitter in the title game, a 2-0 victory over Holy Name.
Holy Name (6-10) reached the championship game with a 9-3 victory over Firelands. The Falcons (7-9), behind Emily Loosli`s three-hitter, defeated Bay 4-1 in the consolation game. This game, by agreement of the coaches, was also a West Shore Conference makeup game. Bay fell to 5-10.
The Comets` Ari Antonopoulos, who walked with two out in the third inning of the title game, scored the only run they needed after advancing on an error and running home on Aleecia Sunagel`s single to left field.
Sunagel then scored an insurance run when Olivia Sliman reached on an error. Sunagel had three hits on the day, two in the Bay game.
Amherst junior right fielder Chelsea Kurtz and sophomore second baseman Alexis Torres turned in the defensive plays of the title game. In the third inning, Kurtz – running to her left – made a diving, falling catch of a line drive off the bat of Holy Name catcher Kaylee Mondock and ended up in foul territory holding the ball aloft in her glove.
“Well, I wasn`t sure if it was going to be foul or fair, but I took off on my horse and went for it,” Kurtz said. “I knew it was coming toward me, and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh.` Then I just let my instincts take over and did what I gotta do.”
In the sixth, the Namers threatened when they put runners at first and second with one out. But when Emily Rosko hit a grounder to the right side, Torres fielded it cleanly, tagged out Ellen Day on her way to second, then threw to Sunagel at first to nail Rosko.
“Before the pitch, I always think what I`m going to do,” Torres said. “When there`s a person on first, I`m always hoping for a hard-hit ball. I saw her (Day) coming, so I just wanted to tag her out and get the double play.”
In addition to Sunagel`s achievements, the Comets got three hits for the day from sophomore catcher Amanda Arendt, two against Holy Name. They got two hits each from Sliman, Sanchez and Sarah Novotny, all in the Bay game. Novotny`s hits were doubles.
Arendt, who has become one of the area`s top catchers, said it is a luxury to have two different pitchers in Sand and Sutton.
“When Jen (Sutton) pitches, it`s a definite advantage because she throws so fast and she can spot her pitches very well,” Arendt said. “Speed-wise, there`s a big difference with Jess (Sand). With Jess, we keep telling her it`s her movement, and in softball if you don`t have speed, you have to have movement on the ball. They`re two different kids of pitchers and it`s hard for teams to adjust to them.”
Firelands` Loosli struck out five in the 4-1 third-place game win over Bay. The Falcons got a double and single from Emily Arlington and Chelsea Mills, and catcher Teresa Davis belted a fence-clearing solo home run.
“Defensively, that was a much better game for us,” Firelands coach Judy Dostall said of the Falcons` win over Bay.
Firelands errors hurt in the loss to Holy Name.
“Our defense was solid and I`ve stressed to the kids before, defense wins ball games and I don`t care what sport you`re in,” Dostall said.

23rd Comet Invitational

First round
Amherst 10, Bay 0
Holy Name 9, Firelands 3
Consolation game
Firelands 4, Bay 1
Championship game
Amherst 2, Holy Name 0

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