Crestline rallies in 7th for three runs to beat JFK in Div. III softball

By John Kovach

KENT — Sometimes one swing at the right time can change the course and outcome of a softball game.

Such was the case Saturday in the Division IV regional tournament championship between Warren JFK and Crestline at Kent State University.

With JFK holding a 1-0 lead entering the seventh inning, Stacy Shumate blasted a long two-run homer over the left-field fence that launched Crestline on its way to a 3-1 victory and into next week’s state tournament.

Shumate, a senior pitcher and the daughter of Crestline coach Ron Shumate, hit her fourth homer of the year that easily cleared a high fence at the 190-foot mark, driving in Natalie Ronk who started the rally with a single.

Three batters later, Chelsea Makeever doubled home Whitney Booth, a pinch-runner for Amanda Toy who had singled.

JFK responded in the bottom of the seventh by putting runners on first and second, but the rally was squelched by a double play.

Shumate (22-4), who wound up with a four-hitter, struck out six and issued no walks. She said she wasn’t going for the home run.

“I was just trying to make contact,” said Shumate. “I wasn’t looking for [a homer this time]. Sometimes I have a habit of going for the fence.”

JFK pitcher Rachel Pico (11-3) allowed just three hits over the first six inning. She struck out 11 and walked just one.

JFK (16-6) scored its lone run in the fourth inning on Gina Gelsomino’s single that drove in Adrian Ashdown, who pinch-ran for Alex Raeburn who had doubled.

Coach Joe Sylvester of JFK believed Pico got tired in the seventh, and that by that time Crestline’s batters became familiar with what she was throwing.

“So many times when she got into a jam she was able to work through it,” said Sylvester, “No. 1, she’s got to be tired. She has been on the mound for us all the way through the season. Sooner or later she is going to get tired.

“They started figuring it out that they just had to stick their bat out to get a hit off her.”

But the Eagles went down fighting, with help from Pico on offense. With one out in the seventh, Pico slammed a single and yielded to pinch-runner Alexis Drummond. Gelsomino then reached first on a fielder’s choice while Drummond advanced to second base on a bad throw.

But then Chanel Thornton’s hard grounder went right at the first baseman, who threw to second base to start the eventual game-ending double play.

“That’s something that can occur,” said Joe Sylvester of Thornton’s hard grounder. “Had it been a few feet away from the first baseman” it could have made a difference in the game.

kovach@vindy.com