Patience pays off in Poland’s 5-3 win

By Tom Williams

HIGH SCHOOL TOURNAMENTS

Liz Maher and Jordan Palumbo combined on a five-hitter to send the Bulldogs to today’s sectional final against Struthers.

BOARDMAN — Poland High senior Jenna Barnhart’s patience during a 10-pitch at-bat proved to be the difference in the toughest softball sectional tournament game in the state.

With the Bulldogs (18-7) nursing a one-run lead over Cardinal Mooney and baserunner Jenna Medina at first base with one out in the third inning, Barnhart settled in for a pivotal at-bat.

“Ten? Really?” Barnhart said when asked about her approach during her lengthy time at the plate. “What was running through my mind, and it may sound stupid, was ‘just don’t strike out.’ ”

Barnhart didn’t whiff. Instead, she singled to trigger a three-run, two-out rally that led to Poland’s 5-3 Division II victory Tuesday at the Fields of Dreams.

Facing Mooney freshman pitcher Jamie Clausen for the second time, Barnhart worked a full-count by fouling off four two-strike pitches.

“She battled and battled and battled,” Poland coach Reid Lamport said. “She’s our four hitter and we kind of expect her to do things like that although it doesn’t happen every time.

“It doesn’t surprise me when it does because she’s a good hitter and she’s learned to be disciplined,” Lamport said.

On what would have been the ninth pitch, Medina was called out for leaving the base too soon.

Two pitches later, Barnhart singled. After Jordan Palumbo walked, she and pinch-runner Alexys Shields scored on Adrianna Sikora’s double. Allyson Kennedy singled to score Sikora for a 4-0 lead.

“To win this is awesome,” Barnhart said. “They are a great team and both teams played well.”

Poland pitchers Liz Maher (four innings) and Palumbo (three innings) combined on a five-hitter to send the Bulldogs to today’s sectional final against Metro Athletic Conference rival Struthers.

Mooney (18-6) won the Steel Valley Conference despite losing top pitcher Chrissy Porter to a leg injury early in the season. Clausen and Kelcie Herberger took over to pitch the Cardinals to another league crown.

“We asked for a whole lot from [Clausen] this year,” Mooney coach Mark Rinehart said of his former first-string catcher. “And she delivered. She had a lot of poise, hit her spots, beat some good teams, averaged more than a strikeout an inning.

“She pitched a good ball game today against a veteran Poland team that is very disciplined,” Rinehart said. “They made her come into the strike zone.”

Last year, Poland and Mooney qualified for district, with the Bulldogs winning it and advancing to the regional final.

Maher staked the Bulldogs to an early 1-0 lead with her two-out homer in the first inning.

The Cardinals threatened in their first at-bat when seniors Kristen Stahl and Cheryl Guyer were in scoring position with one out.

Maher escaped when she induced groundball outs by Mooney sluggers Christina Hrehor and Meghan Williams.

The Cardinals tagged Maher for two runs in the fourth inning when Porter, Herberger and Krissy Cormell hit consecutive singles.

“Both teams played hard,” Lamport said. “They battled back and Clausen pitched a gutty game. They are very solid defensively.”

Lamport sent Palumbo to the mound in the fifth inning. The only hit she allowed was Porter’s sixth-inning homer.

“Her [pitches] go different places than mine do,” Maher (9-6) said. “We have different movement — that’s why I think we work so well together.”

Asked if it’s hard relinquishing the ball, Maher said she prefers sharing.

“We work so well together.”

williams@vindy.com