DIVISION II DISTRICT SOFTBALL Poland claims fifth straight crown, 7-2

JEFFERSON -- The Poland High softball team is so young that coach Reid Lamport wasn't sure the players understood the significance of Tuesday's Division II district championship game against Ashtabula Edgewood.
The Bulldogs certainly got it once the championship medals were draped around their necks following a 7-2 victory.
"Don't believe Coach," said freshman pitcher Liz Maher. "It was all I could think about.
"I wasn't nervous at all," she added. "I was happy that Coach [Lamport] thought enough of me to let me pitch this game. I'm only a freshman so it makes me feel pretty good."
Maher (6-0) pitched the Bulldogs into the championship game Monday, defeating Lakeview 10-1, then threw a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts against the Warriors (21-4).
It was the third straight season that Edgewood has been on the losing end of a tournament game with the Bulldogs. Poland has defeated the Warriors twice in the district championship game and once in the regionals.
Off to regionals again
Poland (25-3) with just two seniors and two juniors on the roster, advanced to the regional for the fifth straight year and for the 13th time under Lamport's leadership.
The Bulldogs will play May 25 at 5 p.m. at Firestone Park in Akron.
Maher's made Lamport look like a genious.
"Liz has been our best pitcher down the stretch," Lamport said of his decision to pitch a freshman in the postseason. "We have three or four pitchers that have thrown this year but Liz has been our best the last couple of weeks. It really wasn't a tough decision."
Edgewood coach Shelley Monas hasn't had much luck in any of the matchups with Poland the last three years.
"What can you say," said Monas. "They are a great team with a great program. They are even better this year than last but so are we. We just gave them too many opportunities today."
Error starts Poland rally
An Edgewood error turned the game in Poland's favor in the second inning. With runners on second and third and two outs, Poland's Ashley Conger grounded to short but a wild throw to first allowed both runners to score and put Conger on second base.
Freshman center fielder Allie Patton then doubled to score the third run of the inning and came home on Jenna Susany's double.
All four runs in the inning were unearned but Poland had all the runs they would need.
Patton finished with three hits, including two doubles, a triple and two walks. She also drove in two runs and scored twice.
"All of our girls are young so it doesn't surprise me that a couple of freshmen played well today," Lamport said. "Lately we have been playing outstanding yet a week ago we were one out away from being eliminated from the tournament.
"With this team it's been that we've either played like champions or like freshmen," Lamport said.
Bulldogs add more
Poland tacked on solo runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings while the Warriors were able to get to Maher for runs in the second and fifth.
Amanda Gittings' single and an error on the Warriors allowed Ciera Urichich to score following her two-base hit in the fifth.
In the sixth Patton walked and later score on a sacrifice fly to center by Emma Brenoel while pinch runner Jenna Medina scored in the seventh on an RBI double by Patton.
Urichich and Susany each had two hits for Poland while Edgewood's Alexi Cash had a double and triple.