Jessie Atkinson started the scoring for Hanover with an RBI single to left.

The Central Region tournament preview didn�??t last as long as most would like.

But
it lasted long enough for Hanover, top-ranked in the DigitalSports Top
10, to take a 3-0 victory over third-ranked Midlothian Wednesday
evening in a five-inning, rain and lightning-shortened contest.

After 3½ scoreless innings of wonderful pitching, Hanover�??s Courtney Long led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a bunt single off the terrific Brittany Blankenship.

With some savvy base running, Long reached third base with third baseman Jessie Atkinson
at the dish. She lifted a Blankenship offering to left field for all
the offense the defending state Group AAA champion Hawks (19-1) would
need.

�??Jessie had one of her best games in a Hawk uniform,�?� Hanover coach Chris Pace
said of Atkinson, who finished 2 for 2. �??She gets a leadoff double in
the second. That�??s a Christmas gift against a pitcher like that. Then
she drives in the first run.�?�

Atkinson would be stranded, but the Hawks would get more in the fifth off of Trojans mistakes. An error on a Lisa Puryear groundball started the inning. Amber Mull sacrificed Puryear to second.

Then Mary Baker�??s grounder went right through C.C. Ridley�??s legs allowing Puryear to score from second for a 2-0 advantage over the Trojans (14-5).

�??When you make mistakes against us,�?� Pace said, �??We just have to pile on.�?�

Lauren Brummell obliged as her drag bunt scored pinch-runner Amanda Woolard for the final margin as the rain and lightning ended the contest.

Blankenship
finished with both Trojan hits, the first a double off the fence off
Puryear, the last a single to right on Brummell.

But it was Hanover�??s night.

�??If we keep playing like this,�?� Pace said, �??we can do something fun.�?�

Midlothian         000 00 �?? 0 2 2

Hanover              000 12 �?? 3 4 0

Blankenship and Dow; Puryear, Brummell (4) and Long. W: Puryear. S: Brummell.