COLLEGE PARK — — Chesapeake starter Megan Hyson has had a great season. Unfortunately for the Cougars, it wasn't a perfect one.
The senior gave up double-digit hits for the first time this season, as the Cougars fell to Frederick County's Urbana, 5-3, in the Class 4A state championship game Saturday at the University of Maryland.
Hyson was going for a 23-0 record, but a shaky first inning proved to be her undoing.
Hyson, who is headed to Georgetown to play softball next year, said she was hurt by a lack of preparation.
"We weren't prepared," said Hyson. "It took me a while to figure their hitters out. By the time I did, it was a little too late."
The Hawks (20-0) took the lead on the second batter of the game, when a triple by Sara Thacker scored Katie Sabbane for a 1-0 lead.
After a single by Jessica Trammell scored Thacker and a Stephanie Murphy single scored Trammell, the Cougars (22-1) found themselves behind 3-0.
Trailing 5-1 in the fifth, the Cougars mounted a little offense to pull closer. A Hyson double scored Kimberly Federowicz, and two batters later, a Gabrielle Couture single scored Hyson to cut the margin to 5-3.
"They did what they had to do," Chesapeake coach Don Ellenberger said of Urbana's effort. "It was a bad day for us not to be prepared. I tell the girls when win, it's them. When we lose, I didn't prepare them well. This loss is on me."
Hyson kept the loss in perspective.
"We still had a great year," she said. "At the end of the day, there is no other team I would rather play for. Being here is a one-shot deal, and we just came up short. "
Class 4A
State championship
(at College Park)
CHES 000 120 0 -- 3 11 1
URB 301 100 x -- 5 10 1
Hyson and Couture; A Murphy and Juenger. 3B: U – Thacker. 2B: C – Hyson ; U – Trammell, Sebbane, Thacker, A. Murphy.