Cardinal keeps her promise

Mooney will compete for the regional championship Saturday.
MASSILLON -- Mooney High senior catcher Kaitlyn Bernat made sophomore pitcher Colleen Courtney a promise after the Cardinals fell behind early to Berkshire in the Division III regional softball tournament at Genshaft Park.
"I told Colleen not to worry because 'We are going to get you those runs back,' " Bernat told the young pitcher who fell behind 2-1 in the third inning.
Bernat held true to her promise as she hit a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the inning after a strong at-bat in which she fouled off numerous pitches.
"She did it for me and the team," Courtney said while hugging her batterymate. "She kept her promise."
The clutch hit gave Mooney all the runs it would need as the Cardinals captured their first regional victory, 7-2, over the Badgers.
"It's a great win for our program," Mooney coach Mark Rinehart told his team after the game. "But this thing isn't over."
The Cardinals (19-9) will play the winner of today's LaBrae-Wellington game for the regional championship Saturday at noon.
Game specifics
"This looked like a game between two teams that have never been to this level," Rinehart said. "We made some uncharacteristic errors in the field, but in the times we had a chance to do something on offense, we came up with a big hit."
Bernat's hit was the biggest as Mooney entered the third inning trailing 2-1 because of two unearned runs given up by a usually strong Cardinals' defense.
The inning started when sophomore DiAndra Dibacco, who keyed the Mooney offense with three hits, reached second on errors.
Dibacco advanced to third on a single by Mimi Vitello and then was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice grounder by Mara Palumbaro.
Gina Brunetti reached on another error to load the bases and a walk to Dana Palazzo forced home the tying run.
After a pop-out by Laura Guyer, Bernat came through with the big, promise-keeping hit.
"It was time for me as a senior to step up and make something happen," Bernat said. "I didn't have a very good offensive year as a junior, and I've worked hard to improve.
"I just kept trying to make contact," Bernat said of all the foul balls prior to the hit. "I got a good pitch and drove it up the middle."
Making a difference
Berkshire coach Dave List said the Bernat hit was the difference in the game.
"I know they got three runs in the sixth, but the game was closer than the score," List said. "Bernat's hit was clutch.
"They made the big hits when they had to, and we didn't."
Mooney tacked on three insurance runs in the sixth, all with two outs.
Courtney started the rally with a single and was lifted for pinch runner Cheryl Guyer. Dibacco followed with a single and Guyer scored on a single by Vitello.
Palumbaro loaded the bases with a hit and two more runs scored when Brunetti's grounder was misplayed.
Courtney pitched well after giving up unearned runs in the first and third innings.
Courtney had to get out of trouble in several of the later innings.
Berkshire (22-7) left seven runners on base, including two each in the fifth and sixth innings.
Dibacco and Vitello led the Cardinals offense with six hits from the top two spots in the batting order. The duo accounted for Mooney's first run of the game in the first inning on a Dibacco triple and Vitello single. Vitello had three hits and two RBIs.