Mooney rallies to oust Canfield

Girls Softball: Cardinal Mooney vs. Canfield

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Cardinal Mooney defeats Canfield in Softball 6 - 4 at Boardman's Field of Dreams Park on Thursday May 14, 2009.

Meg Williams, Christina Hrehor and Katie Hughes delivered key hits.

By TOM WILLIAMS

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

BOARDMAN — When Cardinal Mooney senior shortstop Katie Hughes injured ligaments in her ankle on Tuesday, the veteran’s availability for tournament games was doubtful.

But facing the defending Division II state champion in Thursday’s sectional final, Mooney coach Mark Rinehart was anxious to find a way for Hughes to contribute.

That opportunity came in the fourth inning after Meg Williams doubled off the left-field fence to score Christina Hrehor to slice Canfield’s lead to 3-2. Two outs later with pinch runner Katie Krancevich on third base and Williams at second, Rinehart sent Hughes to the plate.

Her single to left field tied the score. A Canfield error as Hughes took second allowed Williams to score, sending Mooney (16-7) to a 6-4 victory and a district semifinal date with Ashtabula Edgewood next Wednesday at Jefferson’s JAGS complex.

“She pounded the ball,” Rinehart said of Hughes’ one chance. “Even though it was early in the ball game, we thought we really needed to get a good shot there and take some momentum.”

Hrehor had three hits while Macy Ucchino and Williams had two each to lead Mooney’s 10-hit attack.

“They had some nice hits,” said Canfield coach Ronie Haurin, who also made note of her team’s four errors.

“The errors came back to get us. We have a very young team and that can happen.”

Canfield sophomore Melanie West agreed.

“It was probably some first-year jitters,” said West, one of three starters back from last year’s title game. “We have a young infield.”

Williams said Mooney was fired up to play a successful program.

“This was an absolutely huge game,” she said. “We knew it was going to be tough [but] we were stoked.”

After Williams’ second-inning homer tied the score at 1-1 in the second inning, West answered with a two-run homer off Mooney’s Cadi Sheffler in Canfield’s next at-bat.

Mooney’s top batters found success in their second at-bats against Canfield starter Carlee Hart. Hrehor and Chrissy Porter singled to lead off the third inning, setting up Williams’ double.

“Meghan is a big-time clutch hitter for us,” Rinehart said. “It’s a big win for us because Canfield is Canfield — it’s one of the best programs in the area.

“We feel like our sectional-district is just a real meat grinder,” Rinehart said. “I thought it was the toughest one in the state last year and it’s right up there again.

“The kids were real excited to play Canfield, not because of any disrespect but they just wanted a shot,” Rinehart said. “Our kids came through up and down the lineup.”

Asked if the 3-1 deficit was frustrating, Hrehor said, “A little but we knew we could come back and get some hits.”

Williams said she knew she connected when Hart’s second-inning pitch left her bat.

“I felt it,” the Mooney senior said. “I’ve been hoping for a home run for quite some time and when I hit that one I was like, ‘Yeah, I got all of that one.’ ”

With the help of Canfield errors, Mooney scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

An error, wild pitch and two-out RBI single by Cara Cupler produced Canfield’s final run in the sixth inning.

After losing seven starters to graduation last June, Haurin is pleased with most of the steps her young players took this spring.

“We had a whole team to replace, basically,” Haurin said. “We’ve come along way since our first scrimmage and we’re going to do nothing but keep progressing.”

williams@vindy.com