Warren JFK blanks Reserve 1-0

By Ryan Jones

CORTLAND—Warren JFK High softball coach Joe Sylvester flipped pitcher Rachel Pico the game ball following the Eagles’ narrow escape from Western Reserve.

Pico deserved the honor (she threw a one-hit shutout), but thought her battery mate, Kim Sylvester, who scored the Eagles’ only run, was the genuine hero.

Truth be told, both were integral parts to JFK clinching its second consecutive trip to regional play as the Eagles slipped by Western Reserve 1-0 in a Division IV district final at Lakeview High School.

JFK will play a regional semifinal game next Wednesday at Kent State.

“I was out there thinking, ‘Someone help me,’” coach Sylvester said. “That was the toughest game to get through. It was one for the ages.”

With a one-run cushion, Pico held the Blue Devils hitless for 6 2/3 innings before surrendering a two-out double to Chelsea Korda.

Sylvester said his heart stopped for a moment.

“Could it really collapse on us with two outs in the seventh inning?” he said.

After allowing the hit, Pico said she was confident, but anxious at the same time.

“We had two outs at that point,” she said. “I knew the next batter [Maggie Stubbs] was a good contact hitter, but I had gotten her out twice before. I knew giving up one run wasn’t going to kill us, but I didn’t want to give up that run either.”

Stubbs ran the count full against Pico before she struck out to end the game. Pico struck out 15 and walked none.

Sylvester said Pico pitched the most heroic game of her life.

“She’s really one of a kind,” he said. “You could see it on her face—she was determined. Her velocity was better today than at any point in the season.”

JFK (14-5) scored its lone run in the second inning. Sylvester singled to left, advanced to second on a single from Pico and reached third on Gina Gelsomino’s sacrifice bunt.

The next batter, Chanel Thorton, fouled a 2-0 offering from Elizabeth Srock to the first base side. Western Reserve’s first basemen, Kailyn Mowery and catcher, Korda, converged on the ball with Mowery securing the out.

However, Sylvester tagged on the play and scored from third as the Blue Devils failed to cover home plate.

“Our kids are taught to tag up on a fly ball, “Sylvester said. “Usually those are flies to the outfield, not foul territory. When I saw Kim [Sylvester] tag and the plate vacant I yelled ‘Go, Kim, go.’ It was a heads up play on her part.”

Western Reserve (17-5) coach Joe Serensky said what ended up being the winning run happened in a strange way.

“Give all the credit in the world to the girl [Sylvester] on third base,” he said. “She made a great play for them and we made a mental error by not covering home. But our girls didn’t lie down and die. Elizabeth [Srock] battled and we made some good defensive plays behind her to stay in the game.”

JFK loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth inning after Gabriella Lee, Morgan Piacquadio and CC Dewees hit consecutive singles.

But Srock, who allowed five hits and struck out six, got the next two JFK batters to hit into fielder’s choices as the Blue Devils recorded two outs at home plate. She struck out the next hitter to end the threat.

“A lot of times getting out of a big jam will spark a team to a big inning,” Serensky said. “We’ve had big innings after making good defensive plays this year, but we couldn’t get the big hit against Pico. We couldn’t muster a big inning today.”

Heather Monoski blasted a fly ball to right center field in the bottom of the sixth, but JFK’s right fielder Gelsomino made a nice play to secure the catch.

“I let out a big sigh of relief when Gina caught that ball,” Pico said.