Canfield pummels Illinois in regional

The Ohio champions play Kentucky today at 3 p.m.
By KURT SNYDER
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AKRON -- For the Canfield 13-14-year old softball team, it is not about how far the balls are hit. The important thing is about where the balls are hit.
Canfield used a mix of bunts, ground balls and aggressive baserunning to beat Rock Falls, Ill., 10-1 at Firestone Stadium in the first game of the Junior League Regional.
"That is our game," Canfield manager Chris Cole said. "We play small ball. It's all about just getting our bunts down. We like to take extra bases on bunts. We kind of got them trained to go first to third."
The bottom of the second illustrated Cole's teaching perfectly. After catcher Nikka Bonamase began the inning with a single to left, right fielder Kelcie Herberger laid down a perfect bunt. When Herberger beat the throw to first, Bonamase raced to an uncovered third base.
The inning grew into six runs. Center fielder Bianca Biondillo and shortstop Jill Halfhill each drove in runs when Rock Falls unsuccessfully attempted to cut down runners at the plate.
Bonamase later capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to left. Her two hits in the inning were the only two to leave the infield.
"We don't have enough good hitters to double you in the gaps, so we want to get our bunts down, run the bases and put the pressure on," Cole said.
Pitching tandem
Canfield added two more runs in the third and sixth, but the pitching tandem of Melissa West and Lauren Sulick did not need much help. West allowed no hits in three scoreless innings to pick up the win.
When West did get in trouble, her partner helped bail her out. In a scoreless game in the top of the second, Sulick speared a line-drive rocket at third and easily doubled up the runner at third.
West returned the favor with a catch on a line drive at third when Sulick was on the rubber in the fourth.
"We just want to throw strikes, and we want our infield to do the work because we know our infield is flawless," West said. "And our outfield's been great too."
With Sulick pitching the last four innings, they combined for a two-hitter. It has been that way for many years for West and Sulick.
They have led Canfield to state championships at each of the last three age levels. After Canfield finished second in the regional at the 11-12-year-old level two years ago, West said she and her teammates have some unfinished business.
"Our coach said it's going to be business until we get to nationals, and then we are just going to have fun from there," West said.
Canfield will continue pool play against Kentucky today at 3 p.m. Pool play will finish Monday, and the semifinals and finals will follow Tuesday and Wednesday. The winner of the regional tournament will begin play in the Junior League World Series on Aug. 15 in Kirkland, Wash.
Other members of the team are Christie Cole, Katie Griswold, Bryanne Halfhill and Courtney Rothbauer. Cole is assisted by Eric Rothbauer and Brian Halfhill.