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Sizzling bats power Boardman win
By TOM WILLIAMS
BOARDMAN
Photo
SOFTBALL - (22) Brooke Meenachan of Boardman tries to beat the tag of (13) Jo Bondra during their game Wednesday afternoon in Boardman.
Because the Boardman High softball team had struggled at the plate in recent Federal League games, the coaching staff challenged some players to step it up.
The Spartans responded with power in Wednesday’s 11-2 win over Mayfield in the Division I district semifinal on Wednesday.
Julie Sokol cracked a two-run homer in the first inning and added a solo shot in the sixth while Missy DeMarinis connected for a grand slam in the fourth inning. Danielle Petrus ignited Boardman’s four-run first inning with a lead-off double.
“In practice, we did a lot of work on our hitting and we’ve challenged the girls,” Boardman coach Marco Marinucci said. “Julie Sokol, with her first two home runs of the year, really stepped up for us.”
Today at 4:30 p.m. at the Fields of Dreams, Boardman (15-6) will play Canfield for the district crown.
“We haven’t seen each other but we’ve played some same opponents,” said Marinucci of Canfield. “I expect them to be as ready as ever. I told our girls that we have a big target on our backs for being [district] champions last year.”
Sokol, who pitched the final two innings, called the win “so important because we’ve come back from a 1-0 loss to Hoover [on Saturday]. Today, we just brought our bats back out because we’ve been missing them the past few games.”
Before Wednesday, neither Sokol nor DeMarinis had homered this season.
“When the ball went off the bat, I kinda knew that it was gone because [I made] great contact,” DeMarinis said. “It was a good win, we all came out with great bats.”
Senior first baseman Jamie Massaro also drove in four runs with two-run singles in the first and second innings.
“It’s a big win for us because not only are we coming off of a loss but we really want to win this tournament,” Massaro said. “It’d be nice to win the Federal League but we’re mainly focused on this tournament.”
Boardman has six league games remaining to be played around its tournament schedule.
On the mound, the Spartans ace Alex DiDomenico (6-2) retired the first nine Mayfield hitters before giving up two runs in the fourth inning. Brittany Upgrady’s triple and Gina Navario’s RBI single were Mayfield’s key hits.
“Sometimes you’re better off when you don’t know what the opposition brings,” said Marinucci of playing Mayfield. “Not knowing anything should make you bring your ‘A’ game to be prepared for anything.”
DeMarinis said the Spartans are ready for the Cardinals, who won the Div. II state title in 2008.
“Canfield is a big rival, always has been,” DeMarinis said.
Massaro said both teams are familiar with each other’s players.
“A lot of [us] have played all-stars against Canfield and they’ve always been a big rival,” Massari said. “Now that they are D-I, we get to [play again].”