43
Modic’s base hit sends Poland to regional semis
By Tom Williams
JEFFERSON
Poland softball player Jenna Modic lives for moments like the one she faced in the sixth inning of Friday’s district championship game.
With the game scoreless and teammate Maura Bobby standing on second base with two outs, the Bulldogs’ third baseman couldn’t wait to step in against Southeast’s Kayla Williams.
“I was ecstatic,” said Modic who blooped a 1-1 pitch into shallow left-center field. Bobby raced home for the only run in Poland’s 1-0 victory that earned a third straight Division II regional appearance. “That’s always the best position to be in, being up with the winning run in scoring position.
“I knew I didn’t hit it the way I wanted to but I didn’t look where the ball was going, I just ran,” said Modic who ended up on second base.
Poland ace Erin Gabriel took a no-hitter into the seventh inning when Terra Coontz led off with a double to right-center field. A flyout, sacrifice bunt and strikeout ended the game with Coontz stranded at third base.
Gabriel said she loves a pitcher’s duel.
“You’ve got to, that’s why you pitch,” said Gabriel who struck out 15, walked two and hit one. “One pitch can change the game.”
Williams limited the Bulldogs (18-2) to two hits over the first five innings.
“She did a great job, she kept us off-balance,” Gabriel said. “She threw a lot inside and we were just going under the ball, we kept dipping.”
With one out in the sixth inning, Bobby took advantage of a deep Pirates outfield with a bloop hit into left field. Bobby reached second base ahead of Danielle Stropki’s throw.
“It felt awesome,” said Bulldogs’ center fielder, who admitted that the longer the game was scoreless “added a lot of pressure. But we just had to focus.”
Friday’s win couldn’t have been much more different from Thursday’s 7-6 comeback against Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin.
“It never gets old,” Poland head coach Reid Lamport said. “How can two one-run district games ever get old?
“There is a bit of irony in this game — with how hard we hit some of those shots right at them, it took two bloop balls to win the game,” Lamport said.
Four of Poland’s five hits were doubles. Modic had another in the first inning while Marissa Trevis doubled in the third inning. Gabriel had the other hit when she singled in the sixth inning and Stewart threw to Coontz who tagged out Modic at the plate to end the sixth inning.