Champion loses, 2-0

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
ASHLAND -- Freshman pitcher Gabby Gillilan tossed a three-hit shutout, sparking Bloom-Carroll High to a 2-0 victory over Champion in the Division III state softball championship at Brookside Park Saturday.
The Golden Flashes (21-7) never really got to the young pitcher; only three base runners reached second base and none got to third.
Gillilan struck out five and walked only one, although her teammates did commit two errors.
Champion senior pitcher Kasey Karr was not her usual self, allowing seven hits. She walked only one, but it forced in a Bulldogs' run.
The Flashes committed five errors behind Karr and had several mental errors that proved costly.
"We didn't play our best, but we still had a chance to win the game," said Champion coach Cheryl Weaver. "We didn't hit like we have been, but when we did it seemed to be right at them and we made some costly mistakes."
About the opponent
Weaver praised the young pitcher Gillilan.
"She's very good and she's probably going to get a lot better in the next three years," Weaver said.
"It was a disappointing loss, but I feel disappointed mostly for the seniors who are the ones who got us here," she added.
Karr also was disappointed, but said that the team still was focused going into the game.
"We just didn't hit the ball like we have been and the mistakes hurt us, but we still played together as a team," Karr added.
Karr, a senior, will pitch next season for Lafayette College of the Patriot League.
"It's going to be tough leaving these teammates, but I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead of me," she said.
Senior Hillary Beachy said playing so late Friday had nothing to do with the team's play Saturday.
"We were focused today, but we just didn't get the job done," she said.
Beachy, Emily Hayes and Nicole Weaver had the only hits for the Flashes.
Jamey Gilmore led Bloom-Carroll with three hits.
The Bulldogs scored their first run in the third inning on three hits, two of which never got out of the infield, and an error, which resulted in an out.
First run
With one out, Lindsay Kilby singled to right field and Maria Burchett followed with a bunt that she beat out.
Ally Smith then popped up to third base and the infield fly rule was called, but Champion third baseman Cara Popadak dropped the ball and both runners ended up advancing.
Jamey Gilmore then bunted down the third base line and beat it out to load the bases, then Karr allowed one of her rare walks to force in the run.
In the fourth Bloom-Carroll added another run. Natalie Shirk singled to right field.
Courtney Reis then sacrificed her to second, but nobody was covering third base and Shirk kept right on running. The throw to get her at third was not handled by left fielder Brittany Skeels and bounded away as Skirk got up and scored.
Champion's only real scoring opportunities came in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the fourth Emily Hayes doubled to right-center with two outs, but couldn't advance.
In the fifth the Flashes had runners on first and second after a single by Nicole Weaver and Ashley Rable reaching on an error, but Gillilan got Jacklyn Carpenter, one of the batting leaders in Friday's win, to ground back to the mound.
mollica@vindy.com