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RED IS RIGHT FOR BLUE
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Poland ace Erin Gabriel has worn red shoes since her softball career began. A superstitious player, she did not break the tradition when she made the varsity even though the Bulldogs’ colors are blue and white.
Call it superstition or tradition, but pitcher Erin Gabriel’s unusual color choice for shoes has been working well for the Bulldogs
By Tom Williams
POLAND
For a member of the USA Softball program, what could be more natural than wearing red, white and blue?
Well if you are Poland senior Erin Gabriel, sometimes supporters see red, especially when they look at her feet.
“OK, I get this a lot,” said Gabriel when asked why she’s wearing red shoes with the Bulldogs’ blue-and-white uniforms.
Could it be she’s honoring Dorothy Gale’s ruby slippers in “The Wizard of Oz?” (After all, softball players agree with lost Kansas girls that “there’s no place like home.”)
No, the Mahoning Valley’s most accomplished softball player prefers red because she believes in tradition.
“I’ve worn red shoes since I started playing and I am a very superstitious player, so I have to keep with the tradition,” Gabriel said after throwing a one-hitter against Akron Hoban in a 7-0 victory that is sending Poland to its third straight state appearance. “I know they don’t match very well, but hey, I guess they look kinda good.”
Did anyone give her grief for choosing to not wearing blue or white shoes?
“Coach [Reid] Lamport did, but then he let it go,” Gabriel said.
Lamport, Poland’s 23-year softball coach who is taking his fourth team to state, said he chose diplomacy three seasons ago in handling his town’s version of “The Red Menace.”
“Her mom [Lori] had [purchased] five or six pairs of red shoes to start the first season and she had always worn those,” Lamport said. “It’s not something I ever [allowed] before, somebody wearing a different color pair of shoes.
“But [I decided] I’m not going to make her buy a bunch more,” Lamport said.
With Gabriel on the mound as a freshman and classmates Jenna Modic and Kalie Benson contributing, Poland advanced to the regional final, losing to Tallmadge 1-0.
Gabriel continued her campaign for the All-American look.
“And [after] the freshman season, it became ‘Coach, I’m superstitious’ as the reason why” she wanted to wear red, Lamport said.
Two years ago, Poland went 30-2 and finished state runner-up, losing 1-0 to Hebron Lakewood. Later that month, Gabriel flew to California to try out for USA Softball. She was the youngest player selected.
Before her junior season, Gabriel committed to the University of Tennessee. The Bulldogs went 25-2, dominating at state with a 14-2 win over Tippecanoe and a 4-0 win over LaGrange Keystone. The latter victory avenged one of Poland’s two regular-season losses.
Friday at 12:30 p.m. in a state semifinal, Poland (27-2) and Keystone (30-0) will stage a rematch.
Poland catcher Meredith Testa, who is completing her second season as Gabriel’s target behind the plate, says Gabriel has shown excellent command during Poland’s five tournament games.
“I feel she’s pitching a lot better than she did last year,” Testa said.
Only three runs have been scored against the Bulldogs’ defense in the postseason.
Lamport said Poland thrives on taking the lead.
“It’s always nice to get a couple of runs early, especially when you have a pitcher like Erin on the mound,” Lamport said. “A two-run lead with her can be equivalent to maybe a five-run lead with somebody else.”
In regional play, Gabriel surrendered two hits, struck out 19 batters, walked five and hit one as Poland outscored its opponents 10-2.
“I felt she was more than on,” said Testa after the Hoban victory. “All of her pitches were basically perfect. She only had like two misses and that were her curves, but her rises were all good.”
Testa took over behind the plate after Meagan Hirschbeck graduated in 2010. Asked if she felt intimidated, the junior responded, “Last year, but I am way more comfortable with it this year.”
Testa said she attends Gabriel’s pitching sessions.
“I’m at every one of her practices so that really helps me,” Testa said, “She has so many pitches that move in so many ways.”
Gabriel admits this might be her last week wearing red.
“At Tennessee, that’s going to be a little harder to fly by so I think this is my last [time] with them,” Gabriel said.