Karr is sharp for Champion

By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HUBBARD -- Thanks to a strong performance by sophomore pitcher Kasey Karr, the Champion High softball team has taken over the driver's seat in a tight Trumbull Athletic Conference race.
In one of the biggest starts of her two-year varsity career, Karr tossed a five-hitter against Hubbard on Wednesday in earning a 2-1 victory.
In pinning just the second TAC loss on the Eagles, Karr struck out eight batters and received plenty of defensive help from the Golden Flashes (11-3, 8-1 TAC).
Twice, the Eagles (9-3, 7-2) stranded a base-runner at third base.
Hubbard's other TAC loss came against Newton Falls, which has one league loss heading into today's contest against Champion.
Upcoming
Next week, Newton Falls, the defending TAC champion, has makeup games against Champion and Hubbard.
"We're sitting pretty good right now, but we've got to beat Newton Falls twice [to win the TAC outright]," Champion coach Cheryl Weaver said after the Flashes avenged a 3-1 loss to Hubbard.
"Earlier in the game, she wasn't quite there," Weaver said of Karr (5-1). "But that rally got her pumped up. Her change-up started working real well so that stimulates her fastball."
Weaver was referring to the Flashes' two-run third inning.
After Meghan Packman led off with a single, Jaclyn Carpenter reached on an error. Both advanced when Hubbard's defenders chose to let Karr's bunt roll along the foul line and the ball remained fair.
Jessica Carpenter singled to score Packman and Emily Hayes hit into a fielder's choice to score Jaclyn Carpenter for a 2-0 lead.
Taylor is effective
Hubbard pitcher Amanda Taylor allowed just one more base-runner in the final four innings, finishing with a four-hitter.
Karr said the lead bolstered her confidence because "even if I throw some bad pitches, we're still a step or two ahead of them. I could relax, but not too much."
The Eagles squandered scoring opportunities in the first two innings. In their first at-bat, a runner at second base was called out for hesitating while Karr had the ball in the pitching circle.
In the second inning, Lynle Cornell and Taylor led off with singles and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Cornell was caught scrambling to get back to third after a bunt and the inning ended with a strikeout.
"It made it easier on me so I could relax and throw," Karr said of her defense's key plays.
Hubbard scored its run in the sixth inning when Kelly Hudy hit a two-out double and scored on Cornell's double. Cornell, who finished with two hits, took third on a throw to the plate, but was stuck there following another strikeout.
Weaver isn't surprised the league race has turned into a three-team dogfight.
"Newton Falls has good pitching while Hubbard's defense is strong and they've got some [powerful] hitters," Weaver said. "They are always tough. With two losses, they are not out of the picture."