Champion, LaBrae meet in final

The Flashes beat Maplewood 3-0, and the Vikings routed Garfield, 18-2.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
JEFFERSON -- The bitterness from last year's district semifinal loss to LaBrae continues to motivate the Champion High softball team.
Today, the Trumbull Athletic Conference rivals will meet again, this time in the Division III district final at the Jefferson Area Girls Softball complex with a regional berth on the line.
Asked to measure how much it means to play for a trip to Massillon, Champion senior first baseman Hillary Beachy said, "It's so important. We have five seniors -- all in the infield. We want to go back to state. We can get 'em."
Homer powers win
Beachy's three-run homer in the sixth inning powered the Golden Flashes (18-6) to Wednesday's 3-0 victory over Maplewood (11-3), a Div. IV state semifinalist last spring.
LaBrae (17-5) had a much easier time returning to the district final, scoring 11 runs in the sixth inning to defeat Garrettsville Garfield (19-3), 18-2.
Two years ago, Champion won the Massillon regional then lost in the state semifinals at Ashland.
Last year, LaBrae defeated Mooney in the regional final at Genshaft Park, then lost in the state semifinals.
Champion-Maplewood
For five innings, Champion's Kasey Karr and Maplewood's Markie Pozzuto dominated on the mound.
But an infield error and Beachy's homer changed everything.
Jackie Knepp led off Champion's sixth inning with a single. Maplewood first baseman Emily Paris made a sliding catch to snag a foul pop-up on a sacrifice bunt attempt to restore the advantage to Pozzuto.
A two-out infield error put Karr on base and sent Knepp to second base. Three pitches later, the ball landed over the right-field fence.
"That was a great feeling," Beachy said of her home-run trot. "Once it hit the bat, I thought it was gone. The pitch was high but right down the center of the plate.
"Usually when it's 0-2, she [Pozzuto] throws a ball, but she's a good, fast pitcher and she doesn't throw many balls. I [felt] it was going to be a strike."
Watching from the third base coaching box, Champion coach Cheryl Weaver said at first she thought Beachy's blast was going to be a long flyout.
Karr dominated
Staked to a three-run lead, Karr took over, allowing only a seventh-inning single by Amber Sybert.
Karr finished with a three-hitter, with only one runner reaching second base.
"Everything was working really well," Karr said. "They are a good team and we knew this one would come down to one key at-bat."
Weaver said she considers Karr and Pozzuto "to be the best in Trumbull County. They play together in travel ball [so] there's that competition, and I believe it brought out the best in them. Markie pitched a great game."
Because of last year's loss that spoiled a 24-2 season, Karr admits the Golden Flashes are pumped to play the Vikings after splitting in the regular season.
LaBrae-Garfield
Against Garfield, the Vikings led from the start. Leadoff batter Angelica Pugh reached base five times and scored four runs. Her three hits included two triples.
"She has great speed," LaBrae coach Chad Kiser said. "She sets it up for us because we have two really good hitters behind her [Kim Calderwood, Lia Gordon].
"We know that if we can get her on in that first inning, we have a good chances of scoring a run," Kiser said. "In close games, that's key."
Lindsay Higgins pitched the first four innings, allowing one run and three hits. Her twin sister, Stepfanie, finished the game on the mound and provided four hits at the plate including a triple and double.
"We were pumped up, ready to play," Higgins said. "We were tired of playing indoors."
Kiser said he was concerned about his team's batting because of the week between games.
"They've been working hard over the last week -- they haven't had a day off," Kiser said. "I think it paid off."
williams@vindy.com