Confidence boosts LaBrae in regional semifinal win

The Vikings did not allow any runs after the second inning.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
MASSILLON -- Gutsy coaching, aggressive base running and strong pitching from the Higgins twins have the LaBrae High softball team in uncharted territory -- playing for a state berth and possibly past commencement exercises.
Vikings (14-6) coach Chad Kiser twice rolled the dice with base-running gambles and hit the jackpot in Thursday's 3-2, eight-inning victory over Wellington (22-7) in the Division III regional semifinal at Genshaft Park.
Saturday, LaBrae will play Mooney (19-8) but the time hasn't been confirmed. Because LaBrae's graduation ceremonies are at noon, Kiser and Mooney coach Mark Rinehart asked tournament officials to delay the start of the game from noon until 5 p.m.
Whenever it's played, the winner will be making that school's first trip to state.
"Our spirits are so high right now," said Kim Calderwood, whose two doubles played key roles in the Vikings' scoring their first and third runs. "Our team has a lot of confidence, our bats just came alive."
Morgan Briscoe led off LaBrae's eighth at-bat with a single off the first pitch from Wellington pitcher Ashley Kies. Four pitches later, Calderwood doubled to right-center field to send Briscoe to third base.
The game ended after the following pitch as Lia Gordon hit a sacrifice fly to shallow left-center field. As soon as the ball was caught, Kiser sent Briscoe racing and a throw up the third-base line allowed her to score unchallenged.
Rally from behind
Trailing 2-0 in the fourth inning, Calderwood ignited the Vikings with a lead-off double over the center fielder's head. Gordon doubled over the left fielder to cut the gap to 2-1 and took third base on a ground out.
That's when Kiser's other gamble paid off. Facing a full-count pitch, Lindsay Higgins drew the walk and didn't stop at first base on the continuation play. When Kies threw the ball to second baseman Amber Sorg, Kiser sent Gordon home.
Just a few feet away from the moving Higgins, Sorg elected to throw to catcher Shea Monschein but the throw was late.
"They planned it the day before," Higgins said of her coaching staff. "They told me as I was running down the line. I didn't think [the Dukes] were going to throw it."
Kiser said Higgins "did a nice job -- she stopped just in time. She didn't hesitate too soon. It's a tough play because if you stop, you're out. Lia never hesitated -- as soon as [Kies] made the throw to second, she went hard. And that's the key -- you can't hesitate going from third."
Fluke play
Higgins took responsibility for a fluke play that led to the Dukes taking a 2-0 lead in the second inning. With two outs and runners at third and second base, Monica Brassee hit a line drive off Higgins.
Higgins picked up the ball and started to throw home to the unguarded plate, then threw late to first base.
The ball deflected off a glove, allowing the Michelle Howk to score the second Dukes run.
"It came back and hit me in the hand," Higgins said. "I thought it would be easiest to make [the out] at home and I didn't realize [it wasn't a force play]. Then I tried to make the play at first and I just should've held it and allowed just one run."
Kiser said he didn't see "anyone panic but I think Lindsay was a little upset with herself because she made the wrong decision. But she got line-drived -- it was not a routine play. She never gave up on the play or lost her focus.
"They never hung their heads," Kiser said. "They had a little bit of confidence because they hit the ball hard early. In the first couple of innings, we were just hitting right at them."
Playing so late in May "feels awesome," said Higgins, who started the game and was relieved by sister Stepfanie in the fifth inning. "We're pulling through really well."
williams@vindy.com