Champion softball wins regional title

May 28, 2017 at 12:05a.m.

MassilLon

A softball team bats one through nine, but Champion shortstop Megan Turner says the Golden Flashes do even better.

“We all have confidence in our order. We have 15 players and we hit one through 15,” Turner said. “Even if the the top of the order isn’t hitting, we always have confidence in the bottom of our lineup.

“No matter what, we’re getting the job done because our lineup always comes to play and we all have confidence in each other.”

Six different Flashes recorded hits and half of them had multi-hit games as they beat Tuslaw 4-0 on Saturday to take their second Division III regional title in three years.

Several players who had meaningful roles on coach Cheryl Weaver’s 2015 state title team — including Turner, catcher Molly Williams and starting pitcher McKenzie Zigmont — are back. The standout trait of the 2017 team is its hitting at every spot. It’s better than the 2015 side.

“That team was awesome. They were very close-knit, but if you look at the stats, this team [outhits the 2015 team],” Weaver said. “[The 2017 team’s] fielding percentage was also a bit higher.

“I think it’s just amazing. You think about it and McKenzie has been coming on great and that’s like [Hayley Gardiner] in 2015.”

Zigmont gave up three hits, two walks and stuck out five while throwing a shutout as Champion improved to 30-2.

“I threw a lot of fastballs today. I went in and out with curveballs just to keep them off balance,” Zigmont said. “I didn’t have a go-to pitch.”

At the plate, Zigmont collected three hits, including a two-run double in the fourth inning and an RBI single in the second. Just as her older brother, Michael Turner, did a couple hours earlier, Megan Turner drove in the Golden Flashes’ first run of the game in the first inning vs. Tuslaw (25-6).

The players agree with their coach that they’re a superior hitting team to the Flashes’ last championship team.

“This team hits the ball incredibly better than in 2015. We hit one through nine all the time,” Zigmont said. “Subs come in and hit. It’s amazing to see them come out and perform on this field.”

Last season, Champion fell in the regional semifinal to South Range. Zigmont carried that loss and the experience of the previous championship into this year.

“We just had to take that it isn’t over until the final out,” Zigmont said. “In the 2015 regionals, we were down 5-1 and in the 2016 semis, we just weren’t able to fight back.”

Champion plays Springfield Northwestern in a state semifinal at 12:30 p.m. on Friday at Akron Firestone Stadium.

“It was just a great atmosphere to be in,” Zigmont recalled about her first trip to Firestone. “It was amazing just to have all these fans out watching us to be able to do what we did.”