Devils, Bulldogs among softball surprises
By Tom Williams
For the Lakeview and Lisbon high school softball teams, Thursday’s regional games have been a long time coming.
Head coach Vicki Lawrence believes the last time Lakeview won a district title was in 1998. Last Thursday, Lakeview won the Division II district title in Alliance when the Bulldogs rallied for a 4-3 victory over All-American Conference White Tier rival Hubbard.
“It was exciting, really good to win a big game like that,” Lawrence said.
Last Friday in Berlin Center, Lisbon won the Division IV district at Western Reserve High School with a 4-2 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas. It was Lisbon’s first district title.
“We knew it was possible,” Lisbon head coach Dave Crismon said of the 2016 season. “We had a lot of nice young talent coming up.”
Crismon, a 28-year teacher for Lisbon, is having a quite a year coaching. Two months ago, Lisbon’s health and physical education teacher helped coach the Jackson-Milton High School girls basketball team to its first district title and regional trip. Pat Keney is the Bluejays’ head coach but Crismon handled in-game decisions.
The Bluejays went 23-3.
“I remember thinking as I was watching the girls cut down the nets what a banner year it would be if we could win [a district title] in softball,” the 20-year softball coach said.
A bonus for Crismon has been that his daughter Katy, a student majoring in education at Kent State University, has been able to help him coach both teams.
“She was probably as excited as anyone,” Crismon said, noting that the Blue Devils struggled for wins when his daughter played.
Sophomore Sam Tinsley (15-3) will be on the mound when Lisbon faces Plymouth in Thursday’s regional semifinal game at Kent State University.
“Sam has a fantastic attitude, she doesn’t get rattled,” said Crismon, adding that she’s a “pitch-to-contact pitcher.
“She manages to get out of jams,” Crismon said of his off-speed pitcher, adding that he feels she’s the Rodney Dangerfield of pitchers. “Because she doesn’t throw hard, she doesn’t get a lot of respect.”
The Blue Devils (20-6) received a huge boost to weeks ago when freshman Autumn Oehlstrom was cleared to play. The freshman outfielder, who already has committed to the University of Kentucky, tore her ACL playing basketball in December.
Against St. Thomas Aquinas, Oehlstrom crushed a three-run homer in the third inning.
The Blue Devils have two seniors — first baseman Taylor Siefke and second baseman Hannah Hiscox.
“I am just so thrilled for them,” said Crismon of qualifying for the state’s top 16.
Crismon said Plymouth (21-4), the top seed out of the Shelby district, relies heavily on pitcher Addison Horne, estimating she has 220 strikeouts and an earned-run average of 1.25.
“We’re going to have our hands full with her,” said Crismon, adding that the Blue Devils have done well against hard throwers. In the district semifinal, Lisbon defeated Jackson-Milton’s Sierra Pierce, 5-3. “Our hitters seem to hit better against faster pitchers,” Crismon said. “We sometimes struggle with slower stuff.”
LAKEVIEW-HOBAN
Two years ago, Lakeview was on the wrong end of a bottom-of-the-seventh rally when Canfield wiped out a 5-3 deficit for a 6-5 victory in the district semifinal. Two errors propelled the Cards to the win.
“I can still see [Rachel] Tinkey running from first to home. I don’t ever want to think about that Canfield game again,” said Lawrence, who then confessed it felt really good to win a big game in walk-off fashion.
“Our girls work hard, it’s nice to see them get rewarded,” Lawrence said.
Thursday at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Lakeview (17-9) will take on Akron Hoban (22-5). The two teams have not played each other this season, but Lawrence said that Hubbard defeated Hoban, 3-2, in a nine-inning game.
This season, Lakeview and Hubbard split their regular-season series.
“I’m thinking it will be a game like [the district final],” Lawrence said.
The Bulldogs rely of freshman Cait Kelm. In the district semifinal, Kelm tossed a four-hitter in ousting second-seeded Poland, 7-1.
“Probably our best game of the season,” Lawrence said.
Kylee Mann hit a two-run double and Alex Romano a RBI double. In the Hubbard game, Avery Steiner scored the winning run and Kelm drove in two runs with a hit to the fence.
The Bulldogs’ lone senior is centerfielder Madison Buch.
Monday in a tune-up game, Lakeview defeated Bristol, 5-0. The Panthers (15-9( won the Division IV district at Candlelite Knolls and will play Jeromesville Hillsdale today at Kent State.