Blue Devils fall to Dalton

By RYAN JONES
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
KENT -- Western Reserve softball coach Joe Serensky stressed to his team in warm-ups that making the routine play is often the difference in a game of this magnitude.
"I told them we didn't need to make the spectacular play, but if we made the routine plays we would give ourselves a good chance to win," Serensky said.
Unfortunately for Blue Devils (19-6), they committed five errors -- all on routine plays, as they fell to Dalton 4-1 in a Division IV regional semifinal contest at Kent State.
Dalton advanced to the regional final for the second time in school history. The Bulldogs will play the Strasburg-Kirtland winner Saturday.
"Our girls had the same energy, chemistry and focus they brought to all the games this year," Dalton coach Jessica Reinke said. "They came out and worked hard for seven innings and refused to lose."
Early lead
Dalton (18-5) took the lead in the first inning when Jessi Carmichael led off with a single and advanced to second and eventually to third on two throwing errors by Western Reserve. Carmichael later scored to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
Carmichael put the Bulldogs up 3-0 in the second after she smashed a two-run double off the center field wall that scored teammates Katie Garber and Allison Hamsher.
"After the first two innings our ace [Stevie Banks] was a little rattled," Serensky said. "My assistant, Tom Schugart, did a nice job of calming her down and she only allowed one run the rest of the way."
Dalton tacked on another run in the fifth. Emily McGinty singled and advanced to third on Blue Devil fielding error. She scored on Andrea Arney's RBI groundout.
In addition to her offense, Carmichael (12-2) was masterful on the mound. The junior scattered four hits and struck out 11 in the complete-game victory.
"She went out like she always does and threw a great game," Reinke said. "The important thing was that her offense and defense were there to support her."
Hard to come back
Serensky spoke of how hard it is to muster a comeback against a pitcher of Carmichael's caliber.
"It really becomes psychological thing when you get down a few runs to a pitcher like her," he said. "Even though it's not a lot to overcome -- it seems like it is."
Western Reserve's lone run came in the sixth. Chelsea Korda reached on an error and then scored when McKenzie Mowery ripped a triple to the right-center field fence.
"The girls kept battling and we settled down at the plate as the game wore on," Serensky said. "Unfortunately it was too late."
Reinke said her team is focused on one game at a time.
"Right now all our focus is on winning the regional final," she said. "The major goal for these girls remains the same, and that is to go all the way."
Dalton's last regional final appearance came in 2004 when they lost to the eventual Div. IV state champion, Crestline.