Flashes strike back for title

By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
JEFFERSON -- The biggest hit of Katie Saluga's career didn't clear a fence or zip past an outstretched fielder.
The sixth-inning hit off the bat of Champion's freshman catcher was a bloop that landed behind LaBrae second baseman Lia Gordon, sending home both pinch runner Jessica Frantz and Kasey Karr.
Saluga's hit turned a one-run deficit into a one-run lead. From there, Karr polished off a three-hitter by retiring the final six Vikings batters for a 2-1 victory in Monday's Division III district final.
"They are such a good team, so this feels very good," Champion coach Cheryl Weaver said, recalling how LaBrae ended her team's season last spring with a 2-0 upset victory in the district semifinal.
"Sometimes you've got to lose a few to learn how to win a few and I think maybe that has brought [us] back as a team," Weaver said. "I think they believe in themselves now.
"Even when we were down 1-0, I still felt like something good was going to happen."
On deck
Wednesday, Champion (18-6) will play Berkshire in a regional semifinal at Massillon's Genshaft Park. The Golden Flashes are making their second regional appearance in three seasons.
"There are some good vibes floating around," said Karr, who pitched the Flashes to a state semifinal game in 2004. Last June, LaBrae advanced to state.
"This area -- we have some luck going for us so hopefully that will carry over and we'll be able to get back [to Ashland]," Karr said.
The Vikings (17-6) were four outs away from their second straight district crown when the Flashes' bats came to life. Nicole Weaver ignited the rally with a lead-off single.
With one out, Karr fouled off two 2-2 pitches then advanced pinch runner Jessica Frantz when her hit glanced off LaBrae third baseman Stacy Howard's glove.
Hillary Beachy's groundout advanced Frantz and Karr to set up Saluga's two-out hit off Lindsey Higgins.
"Two outs and runners on, you just have to do what you have to do. I saw it coming and I knew it was the one," said Saluga of Higgins' 0-1 pitch. "I was scared that the right fielder [Jalissa Elkins] was going to come in and catch it.
"And then I wasn't running hard because I was watching the ball so I was afraid I was going to be out," Saluga said.
Vikings ace
Higgins, a junior, struck out nine batters.
"She was moving the ball around very well, keeping us off-balance," said Weaver of Higgins who allowed four hits.
LaBrae coach Chad Kiser said Higgins "had pretty good juice on the ball, keeping it down and moving it around."
Karr, who finished with nine strikeouts, earned three of them in LaBrae's final two-at bats. The other three outs came on groundballs.
"Kasey has so much confidence in herself and she knew she could hold them," Weaver said.
Kim Calderwood's two-out single in the third inning led to LaBrae's run. Calderwood stole second base then scored on a single by Lia Gordon, who will play for Cleveland State next spring.
"They work really hard on batting and it shows," said Karr of LaBrae.
Kiser said, "It was a good game. Lia getting us the base hit to get us the run -- that was big. [But] Kasey pitched a nice game -- she kept us off-balanced. We really didn't hit anything hard.
"And they got a base hit when they needed it, they found a hole," Kiser said. "Unfortunately for us, they had two on base when it fell in."
williams@vindy.com