South Range, Waterloo win at Springfield

May 17, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

NEW MIDDLETOWN

South Range pitcher Caragyn Yanek limited Cardinal Mooney to four hits in Monday’s 3-0 victory in the Division III district semifinals at Springfield High School.

The top-seeded Raiders (25-3) advance to today district final where they will play second-seeded Waterloo, which posted a stunning comeback against Ursuline, 6-5 in eight innings.

“In my 15 years, that was the toughest loss we’ve had at the district level,” Ursuline coach Michael Kernan said.

With two outs and one on in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Irish saw their 5-3 erased when Kaitlyn Hood hit a two-strike pitch over the center-field fence to force extra innings.

An inning later, Amber Cieplinski homered to end the game.

South Range-Mooney

Yanek retired the first 11 Mooney batters before Conchetta Rinaldi doubled in the fourth inning. The Raiders’ junior struck out 10 Cardinals and walked two.

“She is a polished, complete, smart pitcher who knows how to attack weaknesses, and does a great job doing so,” Mooney coach Mark Rinehart said. “She’s one of the best pitchers in the area, from a family of pitchers that seems like they’ve been [pitching] for 20 years.”

Adrianna Popovich also doubled for the Cardinals (14-15).

The Raiders scored twice in their first at-bat after Morgan Czopur was hit by a pitch and Yanek singled. Codi Taylor singled to score Czopur. The second run scored as the Cardinals tagged out Taylor trying to take second base.

In the fourth inning, Hanna Dennison led off with a single so Rinehart replaced starter Sydney Shugart with Kayla Rutherford. With two outs, Lydia Baird hit the ball sharply down the first-base line to score Dennison,

Asked if she was trying to hit to the opposite field, Baird smiled.

“It just worked out that way,” the second baseman said, explaining that she adjusted to the speedier Rutherford “by moving back in the box.

“This feels great.”

The Cardinals had chances. With runners at second and first with one out in the fifth inning, Lauren Frommelt lined out to center field. Felicia Gaeta’s throw to second base beat Jami Difabio’s dive back to the bag for a double play.

Difabio is one of three Mooney seniors graduating. The others are Damani Santiago and Sydney Kocher, who missed the season with a knee injury.

“They have been a pleasure to work with, real glad to have had them on my team,” Rinehart said.

Difabio has been a “four-sport player and outstanding student,” Rinehart said. “The kids follow her, they flock to her.”

URSULINE-WATERLOO

Ursuline (20-4) carried a 4-1 lead into the sixth inning. Megan Ross and Jordyn Kenneally each had a single, double and RBI.

In the third inning, Gia Caldrone and Jenna O’Hara had RBI hits to create a 3-0 lead.

Jordyn Kenneally struck out 12 batters and walked one.

Like Mooney, Ursuline will lose three seniors: Ross, Nikki Malkovits and Janessa Rich.

“We’re going to miss them,” Kernan said. “Nikki and Janessa were great senior leaders. Megan Ross is three-time all-NEO [honoree] and will play for Slippery Rock. She had a phenomenal season.”

For the Vikings, Hood had three hits, two RBIs and scored three runs.