Area girls win skills competition

They are very active in summer leagues.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND -- Three area girls won regional and overall championships in the Cleveland Indians Baseball Skills Competition.
Megan Carney and Amanda Ferraro, both of Austintown, and Lia Gordon of Leavittsburg were among eight overall winners in the competition for girls and boys between the ages of 7-14 that consisted of hitting, pitching and running bases.
The girls won Northeast Ohio regional titles at the Shady Drive complex in North Ridgeville, to advance to the finals at Jacobs Field Aug. 25 with winners from five other regions.
Their titles: Carney, who is in the second grade at Lloyd Elementary School, won the 7-8 championship; while Ferraro, a freshman at Austintown Fitch High, took the 13-14 crown. Gordon, in the eighth grade at LaBrae, captured the 11-12 title.
After winning regionals, the girls were invited to attend the champions day luncheon on Aug. 17 at Windows by the River in the Nautica Complex in Cleveland.
And after taking overall titles, the girls were honored before the Cleveland Indians-Boston Red Sox game Aug. 29.
The eight overall champions from a field of over 2000 competitors each received a commemorative baseball signed by some of the Indians players and a 4-foot-high trophy, and got to watch the game from the Dolan Suites at Jacobs Field.
Background: Carney, the daughter of Tom and Karen Carney, has been playing organized baseball for two years in the Austintown Community Baseball League.
This year, she played for Roth Brothers and helped the team to a 15-1 record.
In 2000, Carney played for the Austintown Firefighters team that finished with a 13-1 record.
Both years, she made all-star teams. Carney is the granddaughter of Mike and Carol Carney of Campbell, and Ron and Gertrude Jones of Hermitage. Megan has one sister, Kelli.
Third contest: Ferraro, 14, the daughter of Debbie Ronyak, competed in her third straight Indians contest. In her first contest, she placed third in the 11-12 regional.
Ferraro is a center-fielder for the Marlowe's Coffee fast-pitch team in the Mill Creek Tri-T Pony Division. She helped her team win the American Division title this year.
She has been with the Mill Creek League seven years.
Gordon, 12, the daughter of George and Deborah Gordon, won the regional contest last year before placing second overall.
Outstanding teams: Gordon was a shortstop and catcher for two outstanding teams this year.
She played for Denman Tire in the Meander fast pitch league, helping the squad to a 27-0 record and to the Ohio Girls Softball Organization state championship.
Gordon also played for the Valley Sting Traveling Team that won the National Softball Association World Series Championship and posted a 58-15 record.