South Range faces 1-loss ace

June 2, 2016 at 12:08a.m.

Milan Edison’s Reber relies heavily on the defense making plays behind her

BEAVER TOWNSHIP

South Range’s two most recent softball games could not have played out any more differently.

In the Division III regional final at Massillon on May 25, the Raiders (26-3) pounced on defending state champion Champion for five runs in the top of the first inning. The Raiders cruised to a 6-1 victory.

Then in last Saturday’s regional final, Caragyn Yanek (22-2) pitched 12 shutout innings before the Codi Taylor singled to drive in Taylor Ross with the only run in a 1-0 victory.

Today (Mother Nature permitting), South Range will make its state debut at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. The opponent will be Milan Edison (24-3) from the Sandusky Bay Conference.

Jeff DeRose, South Range head coach, says it’s possible the Raiders in recent years have played a team from the Sandusky area in one of the weekend travel tournaments, but he’s not certain.

“We’re not going into the game totally blind,” DeRose said on Wednesday.

Edison will send Erica Reber (20-1, 1.01 earned-run average) to the mound. DeRose says the scouting report on Reber reminds him of Champion’s McKenzie Zigmont.

“She’s not a strikeout pitcher, but she can hit her locations,” said DeRose, adding that Reber can throw a “riseball, drop, screwball and curveball. She can hit all areas of the plate.”

Reber has 154 strikeouts and 11 walks. Yanek (22-2, 0.848) has 226 strikeouts and 43 walks.

DeRose said defense will determine who moves on to Saturday’s state championship game.

“When you get to this point, whoever has the better fundamental system most likely moves on,” he said.

DeRose said the Chargers like to utilize their speed on the basepaths.

“They are fast,” DeRose said.

The team will depart the school today at 1:30 p.m., getting an escort from the Green Township Fire Department.