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Canfield softball celebrates refurbished field in style
By Greg Gulas
CANFIELD
Field dedications can be very special, especially for the home team.
Field re-dedications can also be a blast according to Canfield Cardinals slugger Kara Rothbauer.
Rothbauer’s home run, Rachel Tinkey’s four RBIs and Allison Fabry’s solid pitching helped the Cardinals to a 6-4 win over the Howland Tigers in All-American Conference Red Tier action Monday at Canfield’s newly upgraded softball complex.
It was a game that Tinkey and her teammates have been pointing to since the season began.
“It’s the first game of the season for us on our home field and a really nice way, especially with a win, to say thank you to our many boosters and fans for all that they have done,” Tinkey said. “Everyone appreciates the many improvements that have been made to the field.”
Sara Price plated ReAnn Litz with the first run of the game in the opening frame for Howland (2-3, 2-2). Tinkey followed with a two-run single in the bottom of the inning to give the Cardinals (6-0, 2-0) a 2-1 advantage.
“I felt like I saw some good pitches today and was able to hit the ball hard,” Tinkey said. “You can’t get any RBIs without teammates on base so give them credit for setting the table.”
The Tigers’ Hannah Burke had a run-scoring single in the third inning — her second of three hits on the afternoon — knotted the score 2-2.
In the bottom of the inning, Tinkey’s second hit plated Marina Sturgeon for a 3-2 lead.
Fabry, who struck out six and scattered eight hits over six innings, used a mixture of pitches to improve to 3-0.
“My changeup and outside fastball were solid for me today. The defense deserves a lot of credit as well because once the ball is in play, they’re right behind me set to make the plays,” Fabry said. “It was nice to finally get to play on our own field and enjoy the many improvements that have been made.”
Burke’s run-scoring single in the fifth inning knotted the game at 3-3, but Maura Kennedy’s run-scoring single and Tinkey’s fourth RBI in the bottom of the fifth extended Canfield’s lead to 5-3.
Rothbauer’s solo blast to lead off the sixth inning, her first of the campaign, extended made it 6-3.
“I hit an outside fastball, but you never want to assume anything until it clears the fence,” Rithbauer she said. “I knew that I hit it well and was just hoping that it would get out.”
In the seventh inning, Price scored her second run on a fielder’s choice by Morgan Remsey to slice the Canfield margin to 6-4, but reliever Kayla Troxil got the final two batters of the game to fly out to pick up the save.
“Howland is an excellent team, but we knew that coming into the game,” Canfield coach Ray Melewski said. “Our bats have been consistent since the season opener at Boardman. Today, we were a little anxious at the outset, pressed a little but were finally able to settle in.”
Tigers coach Melissa Starkey said her team is right there and ready to break out.
“Fundamentally we’re sound and both teams played really well today,” she said. “We just need to be tougher mentally and realize that we can play with anyone. I can’t ask for anything more than playing hard and giving seven innings of intensity and energy and today our girls did just that.”