Minerva beats Mooney to win first district title

Lions pitcher Meghan Simons tossed a three-hitter in the 3-0 victory.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NORTH LIMA -- The new kids on the Division III softball block now own a piece of it.
With a lineup boasting six freshmen and two sophomores, the unheralded Minerva Lions (14-12) won the South Range district title Saturday with a 3-0 shutout of Mooney (20-9) at the Green Beaver Softball Complex. Both teams were Division II district finalists in 2003 and seeking their first district title.
"This feels pretty good," Coach Ed Haught said of his Lions from the Northeastern Buckeye Conference. "We're like Mooney -- we play a real tough schedule."
Leading the way for the Lions was sophomore pitcher Meghan Simons (13-7) who tamed the Cardinals to three hits and one walk.
"[Simons] changed speeds and moved the ball around very well," Mooney coach Mark Rinehart said. "She was difficult to get set on as a hitter because she moved the ball around wherever she wanted to. She did a nice job and three runs is too many to give to a team like that."
Haught said Simons has blossomed in tournament action.
"She's really been settling in and hitting her locations," Haught said.
Despite the Lions' inexperience, Simons said earning a regional trip "has been our goal from the beginning. We've worked hard day in and day out" against strong programs like Akron Springfield, Marlington and Canal Fulton Northwest.
Rinehart said, "We feel that we didn't play our best game but [we feel] they had something to do with it. Minerva definitely earned it today. They are a heads-up, well-coached team. They had timely hitting and we did not."
The game was resumed in the first inning on Saturday, thanks to the efforts of groundskeepers Ed Chismar and Steve Rim after Friday's storms.
Taking charge
The Lions took charge in the second inning when Misti Anderson and Beth Kintigh connected for back-to-back two-out RBI doubles off Mooney starter Stefanie Grimaldi (11-6). Anderson's double drove in her twin sister, Kristi, who led off the inning with a walk.
In the fourth inning, Kristi Anderson led off with a single and stole second base. She moved up to third base on Larissa Brocklehurst's single and scored when Misti Anderson hit into a fielder's choice.
Colleen Courtney relieved Grimaldi in the fifth inning, allowing one hit, one walk and no runs.
For Mooney, Pam Walko, Gina Brunetti and Stefanie Zizzo hit singles in the third, fourth and seventh innings. Diandra Dibacco drew a one-out walk in the sixth inning, but was stranded at third base.
"We're disappointed in our offensive production," Rinehart said. "This has been one of the best hitting teams we've had, but we were unable to put anything together.
"We hit a couple of balls on the nose that they made the plays on," Rinehart said.
Rinehart noted that his youthful team -- four freshmen and a sophomore started -- was the first Mooney squad to win 20 games.
williams@vindy.com