Harbarger foils Irish on 1-hitter
By Tom Williams
Ashley Harbarger pitched a one-hit, 1-0 win for Manchester over Ursuline in a regional semifinal.
MASSILLON — In 1979, 1990 and 2001, the Akron Manchester High softball team won state championships.
Manchester coach Jim Morehart would like to snap that streak of winning only every 11 years with a Division III state crown this season.
With Ashley Harbarger on the mound, the Panthers have a shot. In Thursday’s regional softball game at Genshaft Park, Harbarger tamed Ursuline’s potent offense by tossing a one-hitter in a 1-0 victory that sends the Panthers (21-7) to Saturday’s regional championship game against Wellington.
Harbarger (19-7) struck out 10 batters and walked none.
“She pitched a great game, there’s not doubt about that,” said Ursuline coach Michael Kernan whose Irish (21-7) made their third straight trip to the regional. “It was a bad day for us and bad timing.
“I feel bad for [pitcher] Casey Lower. We didn’t put a lot of pressure on them from a hitting standpoint.”
Kernan said the sophomore’s six losses include three 1-0 games and two one-run contests.
“We needed to be a little more consistent in our support,” Kernan said. “I probably need to do a better job of getting our kids to hit better. If you’re not going to score a run, you’re not going to win.”
Harbarger retired Ursuline’s first 11 batters.
“Ashley was throwing the ball well,” Morehart said. “When she’s popping the ball, we feel she can keep us in just about any game.”
Kasey Foley broke up the perfect game with an infield single with two outs in the fourth inning. She took second base on a throwing error by shortstop Paige Licause.
Foley was stranded when Miranda Carkido grounded out to end the frame.
Harbarger retired the next eight Ursuline batters when Carkido raised Irish hopes one last time. Licause threw high to first base, allowing Carkido to take second.
Harbarger struck out Jessica Yarab to end the game.
“The way our tournament has gone, I thought after that last error put the runner on second, I was thinking maybe we’re going to pull another one out,” Kernan said. “You’ve got to play a little better than that in regional play against good, quality teams.”
Ursuline defeated Lisbon (3-1) and Champion (2-1) to win the South Range district.
“We [should have been] a little more prepared to hit something [fast like that,” Kernan said. “It wasn’t like we hadn’t seen a good fast pitcher all year.”
In the sixth inning, Lower hit a line drive that Licause caught after diving with her arm extended.
“We made the plays when we needed to,” Morehart said. “When’s she’s popping the ball like that, it makes our defense a whole lot better.
And Paige Licause made a great catch at short.”
After stranding runners in scoring position in the first and third innings, the Panthers scored the game’s only run in the fourth inning after leadoff batter Alyssa Short singled.
A sacrifice bunt and a groundout sent her to third. Freshman Arika Silver’s single down the right-field line sent Short home.
“We manufactured a run when our number-nine hitter came through with a big hit,” Morehart said. “It was a good softball game. We’re fortunate to get the win.
“Their pitcher did a nice job of keeping us off-balance a little bit,” Morehart said. “We were one hit away from scoring two or three runs. We just didn’t get that hit.”
Lower scattered five hits, striking out six and walking two.
williams@vindy.com