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South Range’s youth prevails over Mooney
By TOM WILLIAMS
LISBON
South Range softball coach Don Feren’s willingness to split pitching responsibility all season paid a huge dividend Thursday as the Raiders captured their first Division III district championship in eight seasons.
With the Raiders clinging to a 6-3 lead, Mooney’s Simone Zeoli and Margo Ucchino singled to open the sixth inning at the Dickey Complex contest.
Feren brought freshman Carly DeRose in from center field to replace starter Madison Yanek (11-1). After a wild pitch on her first delivery advanced the runners, DeRose retired the next three Cardinals on a strikeout, flyout and pop-up.
After a dropped fly ball to open Mooney’s seventh inning, DeRose retired the next three batters for the 6-3 victory.
“This is so exciting,” said DeRose of the win that sent the Raiders (28-1) to next week’s regional tournament at Massillon’s Community Park.
The Raiders took charge with a three-run sixth inning highlighted by sophomore Kristin “Shorty” Robinson’s two-run homer.
“It’s amazing to win districts,” said Robinson who admitted she wasn’t sure at first if the ball would clear the left-center field fence. “When I hit it, I felt that it [would travel] far but I wasn’t sure it would go that far.”
Feren likes how Yanek, a junior, and DeRose “complement each other so well. Their pitching styles are different. [After] at-bats with Madison having movement on the ball, coming in with [Carly’s speed] makes a big difference.”
The Raiders jumped on Mooney starter Cadi Sheffler (8-4) for three runs in the top of the first inning and left the bases loaded.
The Cardinals (23-7), fresh off Tuesday’s 5-3 over defending state runner-up and archrival Ursuline, responded with a run in the second inning and two in the fourth to seize momentum.
“It’s a very frustrating loss,” Mooney coach Mark Rinehart said. “Not only did we think we have a district championship caliber team, we think we have a state championship caliber team.
“We got off to that miserable start,” Rinehart said, “but we climbed out of the hole and we went eye-to-eye with them. We had our chances but when we made a mistake, they seemed to get a lot out of it.”
Doubles by Laura Birochak and Yanek and singles by Robinson and DeRose gave the Raiders an early 3-0 lead.
Zeoli’s RBI double produced Mooney’s first run and hits by Chrissy Porter, Zeoli and Shayla Decapita tied the game.
Walks to Gab Naples and Biroschak on eight straight pitches had the Cardinals in trouble in the sixth inning. First baseman Porter fielded Emily Seman’s sacrifice bunt and fired to Marissa Gorvet covering. Seman and Gorvet collided on the bag then Naples raced home with the go-ahead run.
“I lunged and her butt hit my hip,” Seman said. “I’ve got big hips and she flew.”
Three pitches later, Robinson homered on an 0-2 pitch.