Clutch hits keep Poland atop AAC Red standings

Jenna Modic, Alexys Shields and Erin Gabriel were the main contributors to the Bulldogs win in Canfield.

By RYAN JONES

Vindicator correspondent

CANFIELD — Poland coach Reid Lamport knows two-out RBIs can change a game. In Thursday’s battle with All-American Conference Red Tier rival Canfield, the Bulldogs came up with two.

Jenna Modic’s RBI single broke a 0-0 tie in the sixth inning and Alexys Shields’ solo home run in the seventh powered Poland to a 2-0 triumph over Canfield.

The victory puts the Bulldogs (16-3, 4-0) in first place.

Lamport said those clutch hits would not go unnoticed.

“Two-out hitting has been our M.O. this season,” Lamport said. “We had three two-out hits earlier this week and two more tonight. The girls get [dog] bone stickers on their helmets for two-out hits.”

The two runs were more than enough for freshman Erin Gabriel, who tossed a two-hit shutout to earn the win. The right-hander struck out 12 and walked none.

“She’s special,” Lamport said about Gabriel. “For a freshman, her poise and repertoire of pitches are not something that come around often. It’s fun to watch her compete.”

Gabriel said it was great to come out on top in her first Canfield-Poland game.

“The team was there for me the whole time,” she said. “I knew I could throw any of my pitches because they were behind me on defense.”

Canfield coach Ronie Haurin said she was pleased with the effort of her squad.

“Our defense did a great job and our pitchers hung in there,” she said. “It’s tough to win with only two hits, but it was anybody’s ball game after five innings. We were close, but Gabriel was very poised on the mound for Poland.”

Lamport said the competitive rivalry with Canfield has been good for his team.

“It’s as good as any softball rivalry in the area,” he said. “It kind of was rekindled last season with the special group that Canfield had because we found ourselves on the outside looking in.”

Last spring, Canfield defeated Poland by one run in the district final then went on to win the Division II state crown.

With two-outs in the sixth, Karah Pierce doubled off the center-field fence. Modic followed with a single to left to give Poland a 1-0 lead.

“Jenna [Modic] came up with the big hit,” Lamport said. “We hit some good shots earlier in the game that they fielded. I told the girls that we would break through. When you don’t strikeout and put the ball in play, good things happen.”

The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the seventh when Shields launched a homer to deep left field.

Lamport said the insurance run was important with Canfield’s three, four and five hitters due up in the bottom half of the inning.

“Alexys [Shields] had been struggling at the plate,” Lamport said. “That home run really gave her a shot in the arm and it gave us the wiggle room we needed. Without that run, one swing could have put Canfield right back in the game.”

The Cardinals (12-12, 5-1) got a runner on base with two outs in the bottom of the sixth when Cara Cupler singled through the left side. But Gabriel struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Gabriel said when runners are on base, she tries to keep a positive mental attitude.

“I think about our team and about the pitches I need to make,” she said. “I block out the runner on base.”

The two teams will meet again on Saturday at noon in Poland.

“Hopefully, we will hit the ball when we play there,” Haurin said.