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Poland team has payback in mind today
Photo
Poland pitcher Erin Gabriel
By TOM WILLIAMS
POLAND
The Poland High softball team’s 2010 Redemption Tour continues this afternoon at Akron’s Firestone Stadium when the 26-1 Bulldogs face Tallmadge (21-6) in a Division II regional semifinal.
Last year, the Bulldogs lost to Tallmadge, 1-0, in the regional final. That’s the last time Poland sophomore ace Erin Gabriel lost a game.
After last Friday’s 10-0 thumping of Ashtabula Edgewood in the Jefferson district final, senior catcher Megan Hirschbeck said the Bulldogs are aching for a rematch.
“We’re all hoping Tallmadge wins so we can go back and get some revenge,” Hirschbeck said of the Tallmadge-Walsh Jesuit district final. “I think we’re all really excited to go back to regional. Losing to Tallmadge was awful.”
Last year, the Bulldogs qualified for the regional after a 15-inning 2-0 win over Edgewood. That game was a pitching duel between then-freshman Gabriel and Edgewood senior Megan Dragon.
Minus Dragon, this year’s game was no contest.
“To mercy them was really a good feeling,” Hirschbeck said.
This tournament season, Gabriel (18-0) is unhittable — just ask players from the three teams Poland has eliminated (Hubbard, Notre Dame Cathedral Latin and Edgewood). Gabriel fired no-hitters at the first two and a five-inning perfect game against Edgewood with every batter striking out.
“She warmed up very well,” Poland coach Reid Lamport said of Gabriel’s strongest concern. “She’s battling some tendonitis, we’ve got to make sure she gets good and loose ... and just let her fly.”
For the 15th time in Lamport’s 21 seasons, Poland has qualified for the final 16 in the state.
“The next step is such a good feeling,” third baseman Jenna Modic said. “Beating them 10-0 is an awesome feeling.”
Modic referred to the last Tallmadge game as “a heartbreaker. We felt we should have come out and played better than we did.
“Our hitting wasn’t where it should have been,” Modic said. “We’ve just got to come out and play harder.
The only run was scored in the first inning after a walk, a sacrifice bunt and error, a bunt single and bases-loaded walk.
This season, Gabriel has dominated everyone.
“We definitely have a special bond between all of us on and off the field,” Gabriel said. “I can go to any one of those girls and they are like my sister.”
The two runs the Bulldogs scored in the first inning against Edgewood boosted her confidence.
“Getting those runs in the first inning definitely takes a lot of pressure off of you as a pitcher,” Gabriel said.
Senior second baseman Jessica D’Apolito agreed.
“When we get runs early on, it’s hard for teams to come back on us because of our pitching,” D’Apolito said. “Usually, our hitting is contagious once a few of us get going.”
Senior first baseman Nicole White says the Bulldogs’ “team chemistry has been really great this year. Everyone’s bats have been going, everyone’s fielding has been up.
“Erin knows exactly what to do, she has a defense behind her and she has confidence in every single one of us,” said White who said winning in tournament season is “so much fun, best feeling ever.”