Mooney rallies in 7th to beat Salem

The Cards set a school record for wins in a season.
By GREG GULAS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BOARDMAN - Down by two runs with just three outs remaining in its season, Cardinal Mooney High scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning to defeat Salem, 6-2, in a Division II softball sectional final at the Fields of Dreams Saturday.
The key hit was a two-run double by freshman Meghan Williams, giving Mooney a 3-2 lead.
Kelcie Herberger (7-0), also a freshman, threw six strong innings to pick up the win before yielding to Colleen Courtney with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh.
Earns save
Courtney proceeded to set down all three batters she faced to earn the save as the Cardinals (21-5) won their sixth straight game and set a school record for wins in a season. They also won their fourth consecutive and eighth overall sectional championship for coach Mark Rinehart.
The Cardinals advanced to the district in Jefferson to play Ashtabula Edgewood. The game is tentatively set for Tuesday, but could be switched to today.
"We play a demanding schedule and knew that this was going to be a tough game for us," said Rinehart. "We were able to work out of some jams during the game, and Herberger worked out of a big jam in the very first inning when she left the bases loaded."
"She made a mistake with one pitch and it took our hitters a little longer to get going, but we really executed in the final inning.
"After scoring a run in the seventh to cut the lead in half, it was our hope to still have runners on base so that we could go to Meghan in a pinch-hitting situation," added Rinehart. "She has been slowed by an ankle injury this season, but delivered today when we needed it most."
Turns on fastball
Williams said she turned on a fastball on the inner half of the plate.
"I was a little nervous when Coach called on me," she said. "I was just hoping to get the bat on the ball and put it in play."
Herberger had seven strikeouts.
"I knew since Tuesday that I was going to pitch this game, so I stayed prepared and tried to remain focused all week," she said. "Our defense really did an excellent job behind me."
Salem pitcher Brittany Gregory held the Cardinals to just two hits through the first six innings, and her two-run homer in the fifth gave the Quakers a 2-0 lead.
Mooney sent 11 batters to the plate in the seventh, and in addition to Williams' double, Sarah Pelini had a RBI single, stolen base and run scored; Gina Fabian had an infield single and run scored, Herberger singled and scored and DiAndra DiBacco had a RBI single and run scored.
DiBacco also doubled to join Herberger as the only Cardinals with two hits in the game.
"This is bittersweet for us," Salem coach Kellie Page said. "While we are all disappointed in the outcome, I can look back and say that this was the best six innings that we played all season."
"We left too many players on base today, and in the end that is what hurt us. It hurt us all season long."
Salem (10-12) stranded 10 runners, leaving the bases loaded in the first and seventh innings.