Mooney faces tough challege against Champion

May 23, 2017 at 12:05a.m.

In winning its first district title in 12 seasons, Cardinal Mooney had 15 hits against The Vindicator’s 2016 Softball Pitcher of the Year (South Range’s Caragyn Yanek) then produced clutch hitting to defeat Columbiana, 3-1, in nine innings.

Next up — the Cardinals’ biggest test of the year. Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the Division III Massillon regional, Mooney (18-6) will battle Champion (28-2), who won the Leavittsburg district by outscoring three opponents 38-1.

On the mound for Champion will be senior McKenzie Zigmont (17-1), who pitched the Golden Flashes to Monday’s 12-1 victory over Canfield, the Division I district champion.

Neither Champion head Cheryl Weaver nor Mooney head coach Mark Rinehart can remember the last time their teams played. Weaver believes it’s been at least 10 seasons.

The key to the game will be if the Cardinals’ top hitters (Conchetta Rinaldi, Kayla Rutherford, Bridget Sweeney, Kelly Williams) can connect off Zigmont the way they did against Yanek and (eventually) Columbiana’s Marissa McDonough.

“We’ve had ups and downs, like anybody else all season,” Rinehart said, “But I think we’re playing our best ball at the right time.

“And that’s what you are supposed to try and do.”

In the district semifinal against the Raiders, the Cardinals trailed 3-0 after one inning in their 8-3 victory.

“We have quiet leaders,” Rinehart said. “We believe we can hit the ball and believe we can come back, that we’re never out of a game because we’ve rallied to win a number of games this year.”

On the mound for the Cardinals will be Rutherford, who shut down the Raiders in the final six innings, then gave up just one run to the Clippers in nine innings.

“Kayla was magnificent, absolutely,” Rinehart said. “Nothing bothered her. We got behind, she just kept going out there and throwing [well] until we finally had time to break through.”

The Golden Flashes have little experience in rallying. That’s because their potent offense usually opened up big leads quickly.

In her 18th season, Weaver is taking her ninth team to regional. The two games she feels taught her players the most came on May 13 when Division I state-ranked Massillon Perry swept the Flashes, 3-2 and 5-0.

“We were in that first game,” Weaver said of facing Panthers ace Makenna Durieux. Champion’s other starter, Allison Smith, took the loss.

“In the second game [against Zigmont], they showed their power,” Weaver said.

Weaver was thrilled when Canfield head coach Ray Melewski contacted her to play Monday. The Cardinals’ regional semifinal game also is Wednesday against Walsh Jesuit.

“You look for those kind of [opponents],” Weaver said. “You want the girls to be in tough, nerve-wracking situations.”

Rinehart said his Cardinals are ready.

“I wouldn’t trade my team for anyone,” said Rinehart, who has 396 career wins. “I’ll take my roster and go play anybody.”

Division I

Walsh Jesuit (17-6) is ranked third in the latest state coaches’ poll. Melewski’s Cardinals (21-5) are seventh and won the All-American Conference Red Tier and has six seniors including pitcher Bridget Durkin.

The others are outfielders Ally Lambert, Savannah Maass and Ally Sammarco as well as Maura Kennedy (second base) and Jenna Gibson (first base).

The Cardinals, who moved up to Div. I last season, tried to play Walsh Jesuit at Keystone in 2016, but the game was rained out in the third inning.

“They have a good program, multiple state championships,” Melewski said. “I told my girls that everybody is good at this point in the season. We just need to play solid. They’ve played a strong schedule as did we.”

DIVISION IV

Mathews is making its fourth regional appearance in six seasons under Jim Nicula’s guidance. Wednesday at Kent State University, the Mustangs (20-7) will be playing St. Thomas Aquinas (15-11) for the first time.

The Knights won the Western Reserve district while the Mustangs captured the tournament played at Candlelite Knolls in Bazetta Township.

Nicula said Mustangs pitcher Nicole Watts (15-3) has recovered from a pectoral injury that limited her innings early in the season.

Watts, Olivia Oulton, Bailey Hall and Mackenzie Graham are Mathews’ top hitters.