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Kabetso, Svetlak help Poland get back to final
By Tom Williams
ALLIANCE
A clutch hit by the No. 9 batter and a solid performance by a relief pitcher off the bench in mid-inning helped lift the Poland High School softball team into another Division II district final showdown with Canfield.
In the sixth inning, junior outfielder Amanda Kabetso singled to center field to score Claire Testa and trigger a three-run inning in Poland’s 6-4 victory over West Branch on Thursday at Alliance High School.
“I was so excited,” Kabetso said of breaking the 3-3 tie. “Our team wants [to play] Canfield and I knew we had to get [runs] then. It felt great.”
Kabetso and Jenna Schettler also scored in the sixth for the Bulldogs (20-8).
Two innings before when the game was tied at 2, sophomore Kristyn Svetlak relieved starting pitcher Taylor Miokovic with two outs.
“I’m always ready to play, but I was really nervous because it was such a big game,” said Svetlak (2-1). “It was hard to come in, but I was ready.”
Poland head coach Matt Campbell acknowledged it wasn’t an easy role.
“For a sophomore, I thought she showed a lot of backbone in a tough situation,” Campbell said of Svetlak.
The Warriors had Allie Garrett at third base when Svetlak took over. She scored when Kaylie Lewis singled. After that, Svetlak allowed one run.
It was an inning of missed opportunities for the Warriors (17-7). Dani Lough led off with a walk and Garrett bunted for a hit. After Sarah Weber walked the load the bases, the Bulldogs pulled off an unusual double play.
Bailey McElwain, who had homered in her previous at-bat, hit a sacrifice fly to center fielder Phoebe Bush. Miokovic cut off Bush’s throw and fired a strike to shortstop Brielle Nocera who tagged out pinch-runner Ali Benedetti trying to advance.
“They had a lot of hits,” Svetlak said. “It was a little intimidating coming in there.”
Campbell felt Svetlak would give the Warriors a different look, but it wasn’t easy lifting his ace.
“She’s been a battler all year,” Campbell said of Miokovic (13-4). “For the sake of the team, she was willing to come out.
“She didn’t want to come out, but they were [going] through the lineup a third time so they had seen her a few times, they were timing her up. I thought it was the right time to make the switch.”
Campbell was thrilled for Kabetso.
“She’s been struggling all season long,” Campbell said. “It’s just been one of those years for her. For her to get that hit was awesome.”
Miokovic, the Bulldogs’ cleanup hitter, was intentionally walked twice and singled. Testa and Ally Deemer each had two hits and Deemer hit a sacrifice fly.
“We shared the league [title] with them,” Deemer said of Canfield, “and we’re ready [to play] for what really counts.”
Catie Metzgar relieved Warriors starter Weber in the fifth inning.
“I’m pleased where we are,” West Branch head coach Sis Woods said. We had some big adjustments to make.”
Woods was referring to injuries and a player who recently quit.
“We regrouped, so these girls did an excellent job of coming back,” she said.
In her final varsity game, McElwain drove in two runs with her two hits and sacrifice fly. The Warriors’ other seniors are Metzgar, Lewis, Garrett and Cheyenne Miller.