East Canton comes of age, beats McDonald in Div. IV

By Greg Gulas

Four errors by the Blue Devils in one inning helped the Hornets to a 2-0 victory.

CORTLAND — East Canton already fashioned the first winning season in softball at the Stark County school.

The Wizards made the most of their first district tournament game Thursday, scoring two unearned runs in the fourth inning, and pitcher Letitia Bittinger made them lead stand up as East Canton defeated McDonald, 2-0, in a Division IV semifinal Thursday at Lakeview.

East Canton (16-10) will meet Warren JFK for the championship today at 4:30 p.m., after the Eagles stopped Sebring, 5-0.

“We were 13-13 last season and our goal this season was to get over the .500 mark. Our motto since the first day of practice has been [Tradition Starts With You],” Wizards coach Steve Reynolds said.

“We play in the Portage Trail Conference and most of our opponents are Division III teams. Against those opponents we were a pretty good six-inning team, but had a hard time finishing the game.

“We learned from our mistakes though. We play tough defense and are able to manufacture runs in a number of different ways. We make teams beat themselves and that is what happened today,” he added.

So confident was Reynolds of his defense that he chose Bittinger, a freshman, as his pitcher. She has six pitches in her repertoire but has mastered three that she counts on.

Bittinger didn’t need any relief help nor did she disappoint as she struck out 10, allowed just three hits and six runners in what was arguably the school’s biggest game.

“I relied on my riser and curve and mixed in my fastball as well. Those were the three pitches most effective for me today,” Bittinger said.

“We’re a confident team right now; very pumped. We’re a unit that believes in Coach Reynolds’ motto one hundred percent,” she added.

Both teams could manage only one runner through the first three innings as Bittinger matched McDonald pitcher Kaitlin Rutushin stride for stride on the hill.

Four errors by the Blue Devils in the top of the fourth, however, helped the Hornets score two unearned runs without the benefit of a hit for a 2-0 East Canton margin midway through the game.

That was all the offense either team would generate the rest of the way as the Hornets were held to back-to-back singles in the sixth inning, and the Blue Devils a single in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

“I’m proud of this team for many reasons. We had five seniors on the squad this year and prior to their arrival, one win a season was the norm,” said McDonald (19-1) coach Tony Puntel.

“Our senior class the past four years won 54 total games, including 19 this year so I’d say they are a pretty successful group.

“East Canton is an excellent team; a team that plays good defense, is fast and also aggressive on the bases. It should be a great title game between them and JFK.”

In the opening game, Rachel Pico struck out 12 and scattered three hits for the Eagles.

Jackie Kolovich hit a solo home run in the third for JFK (17-4).