Poland freshman Erin Gabriel handcuffs Field in softball semis

By John Kovach

AKRON — If freshman pitcher Erin Gabriel can continue her strikeout momentum, and if her teammates can continue to back her with some hits and runs, the Poland High softball team just may just find itself in next week’s Division II state tournament.

Gabriel, who has been fanning more batters lately than a brisk spring breeze, struck out 17 and pitched a one-hitter in another masterpiece Friday and added two singles, as Poland ousted Field High, 4-0, in a regional semifinal game at Firestone Stadium.

In Gabriel’s previous performance against Ashtabula Edgewood last week in a district final, the talented rookie came up with a season-high 25 strikeouts in a 2-0 win.

Poland (27-3) advanced to play Tallmadge (25-4) today at noon at Firestone Stadium in a regional final, the winner gaining a berth in next week’s state meet.

Tallmadge advanced with an 8-4 win over Notre Dame Cathedral Latin in the other regional semifinal Wednesday.

Poland and Gabriel, who walked three batters, will get a chance to make up for a 3-1 loss to Tallmadge in the third game of the season — all of Tallmadge’s runs being unearned — when Gabriel again goes to the mound today.

Poland enjoyed a balanced offensive attack against Field. The Bulldogs scored all their runs in the second, third and fourth innings, with four players each driving in a run.

Jordan Palumbo and Jenna Modic had two singles apiece and one RBI to lead the attack, while Megan Hirschbeck had a sacrifice fly for another run and Nicole White a bases-loaded walk for the other tally.

Gabriel, throwing fast the entire game and never seeming to tire, baited the hook for the Field batters with high riser fastballs, and the Falcons took the bait.

“I was throwing a riser ball and curve and changeup. I always try to make the batter swing at my high riser pitch. I never throw a fastball over the plate unless I am behind in the count,” said Gabriel (17-2), who bested Tabitha Murray (23-2) who pitched a nine-hitter with three strikeouts and one walk.

Coach Reid Lamport of Poland said Gabriel was her usual poised and confident self.

“The freshman was in control all the time and most of this year,” said Lamport, noting that Gabriel always bounces back after a bad pitch and never loses her composure — with continued support from catcher Hirschbeck.

“Our catcher always does a great job. She handles Erin real well. We need Megan to catch Erin,” said Lamport, who also has another standout pitcher in Modic with 10 wins, but will go again with Gabriel today. “You go with your best pitcher. [Gabriel] gives us the best chance to win.”

Coach Beth Dyer of Field (25-6) said that her batters were biting at Gabriel’s high pitches and missing.

“That [17] is the most strikeouts we had this season. The most we had before was 11. We weren’t disciplined at the plate. We were swinging at them, so why shouldn’t [Gabriel] keep throwing them?” said Dyer.

kovach@vindy.com