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Poland’s bid for Div. II state title ended by Lakewood
By TOM WILLIAMS
AKRON
Ohio’s most consistent softball program found a way to do what no other team has done to Poland High’s powerful offense — shut it down when it counted most.
Hebron Lakewood junior pitcher Alyssa Patznick (22-3) scattered six hits — and more importantly, stranded eight runners — as the Lancers defeated the Bulldogs, 1-0, to capture the Division II state title on Saturday at Firestone Stadium.
“Offensively, we just couldn’t get that big hit,” Poland coach Reid Lamport said. “All season long, we prided ourselves on two-out RBIs and somebody making something happen. In every instance today, it just didn’t [happen].”
Five Poland (30-2) runners were stranded in scoring position.
“It’s definitely unbelievable to be one of the two last teams standing but we [wanted] to come out with the state championship,” said sophomore third baseman Jenna Modic, who singled in the fifth inning and was on deck when the game ended. “We didn’t have some of the key hits that we should have had and some of the runs we could have [scored].”
Lakewood (29-5) snapped Poland’s 25-game winning streak to capture its third straight state title, the Lancers’ first in Div. II. In 2008 and 2009, the Lancers won Div. III crowns, defeating Ursuline in last year’s title game.
The game’s only run came in the lead-off at-bat in second inning when Lancers freshman third baseman Kelsi Thompson hit sophomore Erin Gabriel’s first pitch over the left-field fence. It was the first homer Gabriel surrendered this season and only the fifth earned run against her.
“She hit the riseball, it was a mistake pitch by me,” said Gabriel (21-1) who has been pitching for about a month with a stress fracture on her pitching arm. “It didn’t rise like I know it could have so it just hung where she could just drive it and she did.”
Lamport credited Thompson for a strong at-bat.
“They were smart, a well-coached team,” Lamport said. “[Patznick] threw a great game as well. It was just that one swing.
“Erin made a nice pitch — it wasn’t a fastball, it was a riseball up at the top of the letters and [Thompson] got on top of it and timed it up.”
After becoming the first team to win three straight championships since Gibsonburg in Div. IV from 2001-03, Lakewood coach Criss Nadolson said, “That was a great softball game. [Gabriel] pitched a great game. They fought hard, we were able to get out of some jams.”
Padznick said the lead provided her “a lot of relief but there were still nerves just because it was such a tight game.”
Poland’s biggest threat came in the third inning when senior catcher Megan Hirschbeck hit a one-out single and then courtesy runner Meredith Testa advanced to second base on Gabriel’s infield hit.
Senior center fielder Jordan Palumbo grounded out, advancing Testa and courtesy runner Maura Bobby.
The Lancers walked Modic on four pitches to load the bases. Patznick then retired Bulldogs cleanup hitter Adriana Sikora on a ground ball to first baseman Courtney Kidwell.
Modic said Patznick “was trying to attack our batters with the outside pitch so we couldn’t turn on the ball and use our power, but we hit the best we could.”
In the fourth inning, the Bulldogs had two runners on with one out but Patznick escaped with a strikeout and a flyout.
In the seventh inning, Gabriel connected for a two-out single before Palumbo grounded out to end the game.
“I was just praying that Jenna Modic would get an at-bat in inning seven, but it wasn’t to be,” Lamport said. “She’s been our go-to girl offensively throughout this whole playoff run.
“I would have done exactly what they did, pitch around her as much as you can and don’t give her an opportunity to beat you,” Lamport said.
Poland seniors Nicole White and Hirschbeck reflected on the winningest season in school histiry.
“You can’t put your head down — we played one heckuva game,” White said. “To even get here is just an honor.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better senior year. Two losses the whole season — that’s amazing,” said White who will attend Slippery Rock and may play softball next season.
Hirschbeck, who will study pre-med at Ohio State, said, “It really hurts right now, but we had such an amazing season. It’s sad that it had to end like this but we had a 25-game winning streak end. We gave it our all and we just didn’t come up with the win this time.”