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The game, which featured hurlers who combined for a 52-7 record heading into the game and 555 strikeouts, was certainly a pitcher's dual. While both pitchers proved to be hittable (Cabrini's Katie Osburn allowed seven hits, USA's Marissa Lemere five hits), the game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when Cabrini got on the board.

With one out, Amanda Chidester doubled and advanced to third on a fielder's choice. The Patriots had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed, but short stop Minda Martinez misplayed a grounder, which allowed the Cabrini runner to score and take a 1-0 lead.

"With good defense you can dodge bullets and we have good defense," USA coach Larry Houthoofd explained. "That one Minda missed over there, it was a hard, top-spin ball; that is a tough ground ball to get."

The Patriots responded in the top of the sixth, when Carly Treiber pounded the ball deep in left field for a round tripper to tie the game at 1-1. The Cabrini left fielder knocked over the temporary home run fence as she tried unsuccessfully to make the grab. "I've got a good hitting team and anybody can hit at any time (just like Carly did)," Houthoofd said.

USA's comeback was short-lived, as Cabrini retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning. After a lead off single, the Cabrini runner advanced to second on a ground out and proceeded to steal third. She ended up scoring on a sacrifice fly to right field.

Houthoofd thought Kiersten McBrayer's throw nabbed the runner at the plate, but the officials disagreed. "The girl at home, Carly tagged her hand before she touched home plate. That ump just plain missed it," he said.

Despite the controversial call, the Patriots nearly overcame it in the top of the seventh. Mercy Martinez led off the inning with a single and later in the inning, pinch hitter Jenny Williamson reached base on a bunt single, which put runners on first and second with one out. Katie Schaus flew out to center, which allowed Mercy to move up to third with two outs.

Minda had a chance to tie things up, but was thrown after hitting a short chopper in front of the plate. Houthoofd was hoping Minda could get on and that Treiber could make something happen. "I was just hoping that Carly could get back up in the last inning and see what happened," he explained.

While it was suggested this could be the end of an era for USA, Houthoofd was adamant that despite losing two seniors (Mercy and Lemere), both of whom are going to play ball in college (at Kellogg Community College), this would continue to be a successful program. "It is not the end of anything; we'll be back," he explained.

He added, "We've got a great core coming back (next year) and I've got a really great pitcher in Jillian Williamson. She is throwing at about 60 MPH right not and she's only going to get better."

One thing that Houthoofd is not looking forward to next season is their move to division four. "Next year, we'll be down to division four and I'm not looking forward to that," he said. "I think the hardest division to win in is three. It is a very competitive division and I liked playing in it."

In the D3 finals on Saturday, Cabrini lost to Galesburg-Augusta by a score of 5-0.

*** Cabrini's Katie Osburn, was stellar in her first 34 games, as she went 32-2 with an .046 ERA and 366 strikeouts in 227.2 innings of work. Her counterpart, USA's Marissa Lemere, was 20-5 and had 189 K's in 150.3 innings of work.

*** Not only was Friday's game a match-up of a pair of back-to-back state champs, it was also a battle of teams that won over 100 games over the last three years. Cabrini was 107-2-1 in that stretch, including 39-0 in 2006 and 35-0 in 2007. The Patriots were 115-13 in that same span. ***