Gabriel strikes out 16, throws no-hitter

March 12, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.

Erin Gabriel (Poland) threw a seven-inning no-hitter striking out a career-high 16 to lead the No. 9 Tennessee Lady Vols to a 6-0 win over Illinois State.

Gabriel’s no-no was the 46th in program history and the first to go seven innings since Monica Abbott shut down Texas A&M in seven frames on May 31, 2007. The 16 strikeouts were also the most by a Tennessee pitcher in a no-no since Abbott fanned 16 in that same game. It was also the 42nd individual no-hitter in school history.

Gabriel is the 11th Tennessee pitcher to throw a solo no-hitter.

“Tonight, I had a goal before the game to just be efficient with my pitches and just to just hold my team because we only had one run until the bottom of the sixth,” Gabriel said. “I just went out there and focused on keeping my team in the game.”

Gabriel (8-1) was dominant in the circle from start to finish. She threw 100 pitches with 68 for strikes.

Seven-run inning lifts YSU softball to split

Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

The Youngstown State softball team used a seven-run third inning en route to a 11-7 win over The College of Charleston in game two of a doubleheader on Wednesday. With the win the Penguins improve to 5-9 overall while the Cougars move to 12-11. The Penguins dropped the opener, 5-0.

In the nightcap, freshman Cali Mikovich went 2-for-5 with a triple, two runs scored and three RBIs while sophomore Maria Lacatena and freshman Kelly Thompson-Cappadocio each had two hits. Freshman Hanna Lucas and senior Kayla Haslett each drove in two runs. The Cougars scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to get within 7-4, but the Penguins answered with three in the top of the sixth. In the first game Sarah Dowd had two of the Penguins five hits.

Youngstown State faces South Carolina State, today, at noon.

McDonald boys basketball tickets

McDonald will be selling tickets for Friday’s district final game against Aquinas today and Friday in the high school office during school hours. Students are $4 and adults are $6. All tickets are $6 at Struthers.

Poland boys basketball tickets

Poland boys basketball district final game tickets go on sale today from 8 a.m-3 p.m and Friday from 8 a.m until noon. Game time is 4 p.m on Saturday.

Christie and Barons to compete for title

Fletcher Christie an eighth grader at Canfield Village middle school will compete with the Cleveland Barons Bantam Major team this month in Amherst N.Y. for the USA Hockey Tier 1 National Championship.

The Barons sealed their position by winning the USA Hockey Mid Am District Championship March 7-9 in Pittsburgh, as well as the Tier 1 Elite AAA league Championship last month in Blaine, Minnesota.

Fletcher is a 3rd year Baron and plays defense. It will be the first time he and his team have the opportunity to compete for a national title.

Modic earns AAC player of the week

GREENSBORO, N.C.

Junior infielder/pitcher Jenna Modic (Poland) was the Atlantic Coast Conference softball player of the week, as announced by the league office.

The Miami (Ohio) transfer helped the Panthers to a 2-1 series win over the University of Virginia by averaging an impressive .636 batting percentage on the weekend. She had seven hits in 11 at-bats, notching seven RBI’s and three runs. She maintained a .733 on base percentage through the weekend.

On the season, the junior holds a .339 batting average and a .532 slugging percentage. She has registered 21 hits, seven runs, 20 RBI, and three home runs so far in her 2015 campaign.

Staff/wire reports