DIVISION I SOFTBALL Howland ousted by Medina's big inning

Medina tallied all of its runs in the seventh inning for a 5-1 win in the regional semifinals.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AKRON -- Three outs away from the biggest softball win in school history, Howland High's season unraveled.
Trailing 1-0, Medina snapped Howland pitcher Barb Lewis' 16-inning tournament shutout streak, scoring five times in the seventh inning of the Division I regional semifinal at Buchtel Field Wednesday.
The 5-1 victory sent Medina (25-3) to the regional championship game Saturday and ended the Tigers' season at 19-5.
"It was a great ride while it lasted," Howland coach Brian Earich said. "Everything was starting to fall into place, but then in the seventh inning, the magic started to disappear. A couple of things happened and the floodgates opened."
Just missed liner
Medina's rally almost ended before it began when Corey Bernard lined a hard shot off the outstretched glove of Lewis.
"If that line drive is 1 inch lower, it's in [Lewis'] glove," Earich said.
With Bernard at first, Michelle Costa walked to bring up the top of the batting order. Katelyn Gurgiolo advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, then Jessica Toocheck singled to tie the score and move courtesy runner Lindsey Whitaker to third.
Megan Bricker hit the ball back to Lewis who failed to get Whitaker off third base.
Cleanup batter Jill Gigliotti looked at three straight balls, then drilled the next pitch deep to right field for a two-run double.
"It was a nice pitch," Gigliotti said. "I knew she either had to give me something good or put me on base, so I was looking for a good pitch. And if it was right down the middle, then I was going to turn on it."
Had the green light
Medina coach Al DiTommaso said Gigliotti had the green light.
"She had the choice," DiTommaso. "All I told her was to make sure that it was a nice pitch."
Earich said Lewis had nowhere to throw but straight.
"I'm throwing it down the middle and if she swings, God bless her because I can't put her on with bases loaded," Earich said.
A bunt single and error brought in two more runs.
Costa (16-2) limited Howland to two hits. The Tigers took the lead in the second inning when Kristina Ferenac walked, took second on Stephanie Cornicelli's sacrifice bunt and scored with a wide slide after Stefanie Joy's single.
"I knew the ball was coming in, so I was just trying to get around the tag," said Ferenac of her decision to run to the back of the plate and touch it with her arm.
"I knew I couldn't go into the catcher or I would be out," she added. "When I saw the catcher position herself, I knew I had to [go wide]."
Lewis ends at 18-5
Lewis (18-5) scattered five hits and stranded seven base runners during her six shutout innings.
"Their pitcher did a nice job of putting the pitch where she wanted to," DiTommaso said. "I thought she was still making pitches -- she just got into some tough spots."
The loss spells the end of the varsity careers of seven Tigers: Ferenac, Joy, Cornicelli, Meredith Schneider, Darcy Quinlan, Kim Moore and Nitsa Filippidis.
"I've played with these girls since we were 9, so that makes this even harder," Ferenac said.
williams@vindy.com