Champion rallies from four-run deficit to advance

May 28, 2015 at 12:09a.m.

MASSILLON

Second chances are rarely sweeter than the one Champion freshman Megan Turner received Wednesday.

In Champion’s wildly improbable, come-from-way-behind 6-5 victory over Apple Creek Waynedale, Turner had another shot at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning after shortstop Megan Amstutz — on the run — was unable to hang on to a foul pop-up.

It was the fourth straight two-strike foul ball Turner hit off Golden Bears pitcher Lexi Falde.

“When she dropped the ball, we had another life,” Turner said. “We all just believe in each other and it really helps.”

Falde’s next pitch to Turner landed in left field, scoring Mckenzie Zigmont and Amber Ricci to tie the game at 5.

“It felt amazing,” Turner said. “If I’ve learned one thing from this team, it’s we never give up, we never say die.”

Turner’s hit capped a four-run at-bat that wiped out Waynedale’s 5-1 lead. Two innings later at Massillon High School, Turner came home with the winning run on senior Brittany Allen’s single over left fielder Sydney Miller.

“I’m just so excited that we did it, coming back from so far down,” Allen said.

The Golden Flashes (27-4) qualified for Saturday’s Division III regional final against today’s semifinal between South Range and Elyria Catholic.

“Nothing feels as good as this one,” said winning pitcher Haylee Gardiner (15-2). “We are known for coming back in the seventh, but not the ninth.

“We always battle to the very last second,” Gardiner said. “That’s what we do best.” For six innings, the Golden Flashes struggled against Falde, managing just three hits.

“In the first [at-bats], she threw lots of riseballs and I was swinging at ones over my head,” Turner said. “My third at-bat, I knew I needed to keep my hands up ... so I could let them go.

“She had really good spin on the ball.”

Gardiner ignited the comeback. With one out, she doubled to right field. After Alexandra Steigerwald singled, Zigmont hit a two-run double to slace the Bears’ lead to 5-3. Ricci kept the rally going with a single, setting the stage for Turner’s two-run hit.

“In the beginning of the game, we were helping her out, swinging at her high stuff,” Champion head coach Cheryl Weaver said of Falde. “It took a few innings before the girls made her bring it down.

Weaver coached the Golden Flashes to state championships in 2011 and 2012. She doesn’t recall those teams having to rally from such a huge deficit late.

“To come back four runs and tie it up in a big game like this in the seventh inning, that’s amazing,” Weaver said. “In 2012, we had to come back from a couple of runs but I don’t remember [being down] four runs.”

The Bears took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Ricci doubled and scored on Allen’s hit in the same frame to make it 2-1.

After the Bears made it 3-1 in the sixth inning, Kayla Troyer’s two-run homer to center field had the Flashes in deep trouble.

Gardiner said she needed a moment after the long homer.

“All you have to do is settle yourself down, take a deep breath and go at it.”

The win extends the varsity careers of Gardiner and Allen.