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South Range, Lakeview tune up for tournament
By STEVE WILAJ
NORTH LIMA
When South Range met Lakeview on Monday, obviously only one team left with a win — the Raiders earned a 4-2 victory at South Range High School — but both teams left satisfied with what was accomplished in each team’s final regular-season game before postseason play.
“I told the girls after the game that these are the types of games that prepare you for the playoffs,” said Jeff DeRose, head coach of 23-3 South Range.
“We wanted a tournament-like game and we got exactly what we wanted,” added Vicki Lawrence, head coach of the 13-5 Bulldogs.
Caragyn Yanek pitched a complete game for the Raiders, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and seven strikeouts. Meanwhile, Felicia Gaeta hit a sixth-inning homer, while South Range was ultimately propelled by a three-run third inning.
“I think playing teams like these — and we just beat a couple Division I schools last week — it prepares us,” DeRose said. “I told the girls, ‘You’re ready to roll.’ Caragyn pitched a gem today.”
Lakeview starter Cait Klem also pitched well. The freshman allowed four runs, surrendered six hits and struck out five in six innings.
Still, South Range took a 3-1 third-inning lead on a Morgan Czopur bunt single, a Bulldogs error and a two-run bunt single by Codi Taylor.
“We played tough against them — had a few mistakes in one inning — but they are a good team and took advantage of our mistakes,” Lawrence said. “We wanted to play somebody that was respectable and good and hopefully we take some things out of this game and keep them going in the tournament.”
Lakeview — which scored its first run in the first inning on a Raiders error — tried to rally in the late frames. Avrey Steiner notched an RBI double in the fifth inning to cut the Bulldogs’ deficit to 3-2, while Kylee Mann flew out to the warning track in center field to end the inning.
Lakeview then put runners on second and third with one out in the sixth.
But after the Bulldogs failed at a suicide squeeze attempt, Yanek followed with consecutive strikeouts to escape the jam.
Gaeta then hit a solo homer in the bottom half to push South Range’s lead back to two.
“I knew I had to hit my spots,” Yanek said. “We’d been practicing a lot for me to hit spots when it’s crucial times. I had confidence, even if they did hit the ball, that my team would back me up.
“But I just knew this was a good-hitting team, so this was great practice for me.”
Lydia Baird finished 2 for 2 and scored a run for South Range. The Raiders are seeded first in a Division III bracket and play the winner of Liberty and East Palestine on Thursday.
“I’m confident in how we’re playing right now heading into the tournament,” Yanek said. “I have so much confidence and I think we can go far if we push ourselves.”
Division II Lakeview — which features seven underclassmen — is seeded second in its bracket and plays the winner of Girard and Ravenna on Wednesday.
“I’m pretty impressed,” Lawrence said. “I think we’re not totally at the top of our skill-level, but I think we will step it up and we’ll go pretty far.”