Bill Sferra Classic set for Tuesday

By Dan Hiner

dhiner@vindy.com

Some of the area’s best softball players have one more game on the schedule. The 2019 Bill Sferra Fastpitch Senior All-Star Classic will be played Tuesday at YSU Softball Complex.

There will be two seven-inning games with Game 1 beginning at 4:30 p.m. The second game will start 20 minutes after the first ends.

The rosters will be split, so one squad will play in Game 1 while another group plays in Game 2.

Austintown Fitch head coach Steven Ward will lead Mahoning County while Bristol’s Alisha Kugler will coach Trumbull.

Springfield has five players on the roster, the most representatives from one school in the event. Makenzie Capouellez, Jacqueline Kish, Marlie Applegarth, Kaelen Yemma and Hailey Tydings will dress for the Tigers.

Warren Harding and Brookfield each have three representatives for Trumbull. Bailey Drapola, Gabby Schiska and Chloe Willrich will represent the Warriors. Payton Schuller, Treona Crenshaw and Natalie Stanton will dress for the Raiders.

Kugler hasn’t decided how the rosters will be split. She wants to balance the rosters based on position while quickly learning the skill sets for each player.

“I think that as a coach, you kind of have to quickly assess,” Kugler said. “Even when you’re playing opponents, you have to be able to go in and quickly assess strengths and weaknesses in your opponents.

“If you can quickly do that there then you can do that with an all-star team — see how they warm up and see how they perform that way and make assessments from there.”

While Kugler needs to learn a little about her team, Ward already has plans in place.

Poland pitcher Ashley Wire will take the circle in the opener and Boardman’s Jennifer Taraszewski will enter in relief. In the nightcap, Kish will start with Lowellville’s Maddie Kelly and Western Reserve’s Layla Woolf relieving.

“When you have 26 [players on the roster], you better have everything mapped out,” Ward said.

The rainout date is Wednesday, if necessary. Cost is $5 for adults, $3 for students and $10 for families.