Champion ends Mooney's season; heads to state tourney

The Golden Flashes scored all their runs in the first three innings of the 7-4 win.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
MASSILLON -- It's been 34 years since a Champion High baseball team played in the state tournament, but the Golden Flashes are returning this season.
Champion jumped out to an early lead then glided past Cardinal Mooney 7-4 to win the Division III regional championship Saturday at Schroeder Field.
The Flashes, visitors in the contest, jumped on Cardinal Mooney pitcher Kyle McCarthy for three first-inning runs, then added a pair of runs in each of the second and third frames.
"The key was jumping out to an early lead," Champion coach Tim Cope said. "Any time you're the visiting team, you want to get out early and we were able to do that today."
Cope, who is also the school's athletic director, called the win "huge" for the school.
"I'm so proud of this team and the entire school," Cope said. "It's been a long time since we've been to state and it's a good feeling to know we're going back.
Plays in Dayton on Thursday
Champion (24-4) will play in the Div. III state tournament semifinals on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in Dayton against Frankfort Adena (24-6). The championship game will be played Saturday at 10 a.m.
Champion last reached the state tournament in 1971 when it lost in the state semifinals.
Mooney (23-5) never recovered from the early Champion outburst.
"In a game like this, especially with two good teams, it's crucial to get on top early and that's what they did," Mooney head coach Steve Leslie said.
"I was pleased with the way we came right back to score two in the bottom of the inning, but give Champion credit -- they came right back and scored two more in the second," Leslie said.
"I'm proud of these kids and the season they had this year; we didn't lose this game -- Champion won it," he said.
Stevens connects in first
The Flashes took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning with one mighty swing of the bat by senior first baseman Alan Stevens.
The Flashes put two runners on with a walk to Chris Palm and a single by Jake Gross. With one out, Stevens blasted a home run of nearly 400 feet over the right-center field fence.
Mooney came right back in the bottom of the inning with three hits to cut the lead to 3-2 as John Grist singled in one run and the other scored on a Champion error.
There were eight errors in the contest, four by each team.
"I think it had something to do with the pressure in a game of this sort," Cope said. "But we hung in there and that's what counts."
Kept Cardinals in check
After giving up two runs in the first inning, Palm kept the Cardinals in check until the seventh.
"I don't feel that I had my best stuff today, but I managed to get the job done and we won," Palm said. "That's all that matters."
Added Cope: "I think that Chris' inconsistency on the mound actually worked in his favor since it also kept the Mooney batters off-balance at the plate."
The Flashes scored twice in the second after a lead-off walk to Mark Jackson.
Palm helped his own cause with a double to right field to drive in Jackson. Gross singled to left to score Palm.
In the third, the Flashes' Anthony Maruca reached on an error to open the inning and went to third on Caleb Pagley's single to center.
After McCarthy struck out the next two batters, Chad Kinkead walked to load the bases and Drew Szepietowski singled home two runs.
Mooney did not threaten again until the seventh. With one out, McCarthy walked and Joe Irwin and Kevin Drummond followed with back-to-back singles to score one. Irwin eventually scored when Grist grounded out to second base.
Palm then got Tony Brunetti to fly out to center field to end the game.