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Poof! Raeburn propels JFK
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John F Kennedy's Rachel Pico throws a pitch during the top of the seventh inning at JFK High School on Wednesday afternoon.
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John F Kennedy's Chanel Thornton barely holds onto a catch off a fly ball during the top of the sixth inning at JFK High School on Wednesday afternoon.
By Joe Scalzo
Senior Rachel Pico tossed a three-hit shutout as Kennedy slipped past Mooney, 1-0.
WARREN — The one they call Smiley — or Poofy (for her poofy hair) or Rae-Dog — came up to bat in the bottom of the fourth not only looking to get the first hit against Mooney but also for a way to get her first win against the Cardinals.
In one swing, she did both.
Warren JFK junior shortstop Alex Raeburn creamed a line drive over the fence in left-center — no small feat for a right-handed hitter — and Eagles senior Rachel Pico made it stand up for a 1-0 win over visiting Cardinal Mooney in a Steel Valley Conference softball game on Wednesday.
“That ball never got more than 20 feet off the ground,” said JFK coach Joe Sylvester, who can’t remember beating Mooney in his nine years with the program. “Alex Raeburn is one of the strongest hitters I’ve ever known. We always think in the back of our heads she can do that in any game and she did.
“She got up there when the moment was right.”
Raeburn, who has 10 career homers, added two terrific defensive plays. In the third, she fielded a grounder and faked a throw to first, freezing the runner at second long enough to get the force. Then, in the seventh, she made a diving catch to her right.
The win didn’t mean much in the league rankings — Ursuline has the league title wrapped up, snapping Mooney’s three-year hold on the crown — but it meant a lot to the Eagles.
“I figured this game was the biggest of the year,” said Raeburn, who smiled through the postgame interview — thus, the nickname. “This been our goal since we were freshman — to beat Mooney.
“I kept saying, ‘I don’t care, we are not losing this game.’ ”
It was a tough loss for the Cardinals and pitcher Jamie Clausen (6-5), who tossed a one-hitter with four strikeouts and four walks. Mooney managed three hits and had some scoring opportunities in the first four innings, but Pico got stronger as the game wore on, retiring the last 12 batters.
“We can’t play any better defense and I don’t think we can pitch much better than that,” said Mooney coach Mark Rinehart. “We don’t have any problem giving up one run, but we’re disappointed. We think we’re a better-hitting team than that.
“But then again, Ms. Pico is an outstanding pitcher and has been for four years.”
Pico (4-0) struck out seven and walked one for the Eagles (7-4, 3-1), who are ranked eighth in the state in Division IV in this week’s coaches poll.
“She’s doing the same thing she’s done since she was a freshman,” Sylvester said of his pitcher. “She’s a great, great pitcher.
“There’s a reason why she was second-team all-state last year as a junior and she’s headed for first team all-state this year the way she’s pitching.”
Chrissy Porter, Christina Hrehor and Clausen each had singles for Mooney (10-5, 2-2), which had its best scoring opportunity with two outs in the second inning. Hrehor and Clausen had back-to-back singles and Hrehor advanced to third on an error. But Pico caught a liner by Margo Ucchino to end the threat.
Then, in the third, Vickie Farris led off with a walk and moved to third on a sacrifice by Kelcie Herberger. But Raeburn got the force at second and Katie Hughes struck out to end the threat.
The Cardinals never got another baserunner past first.
“It was a well-deserved win by them,” Rinehart said. “We think it was a tough loss for us. We had baserunners early in the game, but we didn’t execute and we didn’t get good hard contact and those wasted opportunities came back to beat us.
“It’s not often you pitch a one-hitter and lose.”
scalzo@vindy.com