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Ursuline, Champion advance for a rematch
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Ursuline's Anna Donko (20) and Miranda Carkido (15) at the Friday game in Lisbon against Champion, May 22, 2009.
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Ursuline Kasey Foley (18) slides into 3rd base to be safe when Champion Megan Frantz (30) can't get her out in the 2nd inning at Friday's game in Lisbon, May 22, 2009.
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Ursuline's Casey Lower (22) pitches to Champion at Friday's game in Lisbon, May 22, 2009.
By Tom Williams
LISBON — For the third time in four seasons, the Champion and Ursuline High softball teams will meet to end someone’s season.
Ursuline, the Steel Valley Conference champions, advanced to today’s Division III district final at the Dickey Fields complex by ousting United, 6-1. In Thursday’s other semifinal game, Champion, the All-American Conference Blue Tier winners, overcame four errors to defeat South Range, 6-3.
Champion coach Cheryl Weaver said the multiple mistakes weren’t typical of her 19-5 squad and believes youth was a factor.
“There are four girls on this team who are new,” said Weaver, who guided the Golden Flashes to the state title game in 2006. “They got a little nervous but we held [the lead].”
Morgan White (11-0) scattered six South Range hits to earn the pitching victory while seniors Ashley Rable and Katie Saluga hit RBI singles.
“Our [defensive players] were not ourselves today, but luckily our bats came through,” said Saluga, a freshman on the 2006 team.
South Range (18-8), which is loaded with sophomores and freshmen starters, committed three errors. The Raiders reduced an early 3-0 deficit to one-run in the third inning before giving up three runs in the fifth (two were unearned).
“They got the big hit when they needed it,” South Range coach Jeff DeRose said. “There were a lot of squandered opportunities.”
Ursuline (23-5, 5-0 Steel Valley Conference) committed zero errors while United made six.
Coach Michael Kernan, who has guided the Irish to three consecutive regional appearances, said the game was “a little sloppy” after the Irish jumped on Eagles pitcher Krista McCartney for four runs in the top of the first inning.
Three of those tallies were unearned as two infield errors turned the Irish at-bat into a mini-marathon.
“However we got the win today, it puts us in a position to move on,” Kernan said. “We let our guard down a little bit, but I think that’s normal. We played very well, but we could have played better.”
Despite the five-run bulge at game’s end, Irish junior ace Casey Lower (22-5) had to pitch out of a couple of jams, including a 31-pitch sixth inning.
Back-to-back doubles by Brooke McCartney and Caitlin Higgins had the Eagles poised for a late rally.
Lower needed nine pitches to retire Erin Briceland on a foul pop then struck out Stephanie Richards on six tosses. Hillary Hoppel popped out to end the threat.
“That’s just the kind of pitcher she is,” said Kernan of Lower, a three-year varsity starter. “She knows the intangibles of the game, she knows when she has to get a big out. It’s the type of winner she is.”
Lower struck out 12 and walked none.
Sarah Ingalls singled to open the game and Kasey Foley bunted for a single to send courtesy runner Malikka Caige into scoring position. Kelli Kolenich and Rebecca Hartz reached base on errors and scored after Miranda Carkido’s RBI single.
Briceland’s homer in the fourth inning broke up Lower’s no-hitter.
In the sixth inning, Hartz singled and scored on Carkido’s double. She came in when the Eagles made two errors on Krista Byers’ at-bat.
In Champion’s win, sophomore Tawny Rogers sparked the Flashes with a leadoff single in the second inning against South Range sophomore Madison Yanek. After being sacrificed to second, Rogers scored on Rable’s single. Rable came home on Taylor Petersal’s hit.
White scored on Haley McAllister’s bloop single in the third inning for a 3-0 edge.
Two errors by the Flashes allowed Laura Boroschak and Yanek to score in the third inning.
White credited Saluga for keeping her focused.
“She knows how to calm me down ... when I have to slow down and not think about the batters on the base,” White said. “Our defense was definitely not on, but knowing that we could make those errors and still come through definitely gives [us] confidence.”
Contributing to the Flashes’ three-run fifth inning were Lindsey Swipas’ triple, Saluga’s RBI single and two errors.
The Raiders had two runners on when White recorded the final out with one of her seven strikeouts.
I think we gave everybody a little bit of a treat in the last inning,” DeRose said.
“No one expected us to be here at the beginning of the season so it’s an honor for us to be here.”
williams@vindy.com