Hudson hits, makes plays in 1-0 win over Boardman
AKRON — Lindsey Bartos wasn’t sure of the kind of pitch she hit to knock in the game’s only run, but she is sure of this: Hudson is headed to state.
The kind of pitch is academic now, but the fact that the senior delivered when necessary made Bartos valedictorian for the day in Saturday’s Div. I regional softball final at Lee Jackson Field on the University of Akron campus.
“That’s what you’re supposed to do: go with the pitch,” Hudson coach Jeff Brown said of Bartos, the clean-up hitter and leading hitter for the Explorers (28-2).
“I was glad to see her at the plate at that time,” Brown said of Bartos at bat with two outs in the sixth inning. “I was hoping they wouldn’t walk her, but, rather, give her a chance.”
All Bartos did was stick her bat out on an 0-1 count to connect with Alex DiDomenico’s pitch over the outside part of the plate and lined it to right field to score Emily Maggio from second base for a 1-0 lead.
The outcome spoiled DiDomenico’s 12-strikeout performance for the Spartans (24-8). Winner Mindy Meredith had nine strikeouts.
Both teams had four hits, with DiDomenico contributing a triple, Danielle Petrus a double and Jamie Massaro and Lizzie Padgitt a single apiece for Boardman.
The Spartans’ most potent offensive moment was the second inning.
DiDomenico’s leadoff triple to center field was followed by Padgitt being hit-by-pitch. With no outs and Marra Cercone running for Padgitt, Angela Martin and Sarah Maxwell struck out and Missy DeMarinis flied out to second.
However, it was no ordinary catch by Hudson second baseman Callie Drohan that kept DeMarinis from safely reaching base.
“That kept us right in the game,” Brown said of Drohan’s defense. “Mindy [Meredith] gains confidence when she sees her defense playing like that.”
Drohan also made a backhanded stab of Shannon Morrow’s Texas leaguer in the fourth. “Those were two big-time plays,” Brown said.
“We didn’t convert our opportunities,” Boardman coach Mike Trell said of threats that also left Brooke Meenachan stranded after reaching third in the sixth inning and Petrus on second in the fifth.
Trell lamented his team’s inability to capitalize on DiDomenico’s pitching.
“She did well enough to win, but we didn’t get enough hits.”
Brown concurred.
“When you get to this stage, it’s going to be a key hit at the right time and we had it and they didn’t. We all had chances and they had some real good chances.”
As a freshman in 2007, Meredith pitched the Explorers in victory in a state champion game.
Hudson’s hits were a double by Shana Greene and singles by Maggio, Bartos and Elizabeth Stokes.