Mooney's mighty mite

Mooney's mighty mite
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Forgive opposing batters if they don't fear Cardinal Mooney High junior pitcher Danielle Kepics at first glance.
At 5-foot-4 and 115 pounds, Kepics isn't visibly dominating.
But Kepics proved Thursday that size doesn't matter, as she threw a one-hitter in leading the Cardinals to a 5-0 victory over Springfield at Volney Rogers Field.
Mound leader: "People see her size and they underestimate her," Mooney coach Mark Rinehart said. "She has command of her pitches, she throws hard and she's a battler -- she wants the ball in her hands and she wants to be in charge."
The right-handed Kepics (2-0), making just her second start this season, said her riseball and screwball worked best against Springfield.
"I like to get ahead of the batter [in the count]," she said. "After I do that I go with my pitches. They were working today and my defense was behind me."
The only runs Mooney needed came in the first inning, when junior Sara Wright and Kepics reached base on errors and eventually scored -- Wright on senior Dorie Young's groundout and Kepics when a pitch squirted loose at home plate.
"We've been winning close games all year -- four times in our last at-bat -- and now we're starting to play ahead," Rinehart said.
That early advantage provided Kepics with enough support and confidence to lead Mooney (7-1) to victory.
"It makes it easier for you," Kepics said of an early lead. "You can work your pitches in and be comfortable with throwing whatever and just letting it work for you."
Springfield's only hit off Kepics, who finished with 11 strikeouts and two walks in recording the complete-game shutout, came in the second inning when junior Ashley Platt singled to right field.
Failed to execute: Springfield (6-7) hurt itself with fielding mistakes. The Tigers committed four errors, including two in Mooney's three-run sixth inning when the Cardinals hit the ball hard.
Kepics' performance and Springfield's errors overshadowed the solid pitching of Tigers junior left-handed pitcher Maggie Marsh (5-4), who allowed just five Mooney singles while striking out seven.
"We know all about Marsh. We know she's a heck of a pitcher," Rinehart said. "We knew it was going to be a battle. The ball just bounced our way today."