Everything's clicking: McDonald wins again
The Blue Devils improved to 10-1 with a 13-7 win over Lowellville.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
McDONALD -- After watching his team give up five runs to visiting Lowellville in the top of the fifth inning, surrendering a four-run lead in the process, McDonald High softball coach Tony Puntel could have started worrying.
But he didn't.
Not with this year's team.
"That's the difference with this year's team," said Puntel. "You can never count them out. They win the close ones and they battle back.
Sure enough, the Blue Devils scored four runs in the bottom of the inning, then added three more in the sixth to topple the Rockets 13-7 in an Inter Tri-County League Tier Two game on Monday.
"It was a tough game -- one of the hardest we've played this year," said senior pitcher Lauren Walls. "But we pulled through.
"Our character showed today."
Added Puntel: "Last year, we might have lost this game."
Breaking through
Walls, who struck out 10 and improved to 6-1 on the season, has suffered through some so-so seasons over the past few years. But after going 11-11 last year, there's something different about these Blue Devils (10-1, 6-1).
"Most of these girls have been playing together for three years now," said Puntel. "They all know each other really well.
"We've got a lot of great senior leadership and everything is clicking right now."
Walls went 3-for-4 with a triple, a double, two runs and two RBIs, although two freshmen -- Kaitlyn Rutushin and Sara Ingalls -- did their best to steal the spotlight.
Rutushin, batting in the seventh spot, went 4-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Ingalls, batting cleanup, singled, tripled, scored twice and drove in two runs.
"This year we've got a lot better players," said Walls. "We've got two really good freshmen [Sara Ingalls and Kaitlyn Rutushin] and they've really added to our team.
"We've worked really hard this year and it's paying off."
Jessica Ferraro added two hits, including a triple, two runs and three RBIs for the Blue Devils, whose only loss was a 1-0 defeat against Western Reserve. McDonald won the teams' other meeting, 4-2.
Sloppy game
Lowellville and McDonald actually played two 1-0 games last season -- they split the series -- which seemed unbelievable after Monday's game. Each team committed seven errors on Monday and Lowellville had five errors in the decisive fifth and sixth innings.
"Errors killed us today," said Lowellville coach Lisa Doll. "I'm proud we battled back in the box, but we couldn't overcome the errors."
Senior Carla Blinsky (6-5), one of seven Rocket seniors, went 2-for-3 with a homer, two runs and three RBIs. But she struggled to pitch through a third-inning rainstorm -- the weather was sunny the rest of the game -- as McDonald scored six runs on six hits.
Casey Wilson added two hits for the Rockets.
"On a good day, we can beat anyone," said Doll. "Today wasn't our best day."
scalzo@vindy.com