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Champion powers to run-rule victory over South Range
By MIKE McLAIN
MASSILLON
When the freight train that is the Champion Golden Flashes softball team runs over an opponent, there’s not much the losing coach can say to make sense of it all.
The Flashes staged another display of dominance Wednesday in a 14-0 win over the South Range Raiders in the semifinals of the Division III regional. The game was shortened to five innings because of the 10-run rule, which has become a regular occurrence for Champion, winners of state titles in three of the previous four seasons.
“I don’t know if we were scared,” Raiders coach Jeff DeRose said. “I don’t know what the girls were.”
The margin for error to even stay close to the Flashes is minimal. When an opponent commits three errors (as the Raiders did), there’s no chance of success.
The errors opened the door for six unearned runs.
“These are the mistakes we haven’t been making all season, and that’s what got us here,” DeRose said. “Today making multiple mistakes against a team like Champion is going to cost you.”
Intimidation is clearly a part of what makes the Flashes so good. Their lineup is loaded with high-average hitters, with several that can hit for power. That was on display in a five-run second inning when Cassidy Shaffer drilled a grand slam to straightaway center field. Emma Gumont followed with a solo home run off pitcher Bree Kohler.
“I think sometimes when you look at the home runs that we hit, it can be intimidating to some,” Flashes coach Cheryl Weaver said.
Weaver was told afterward by former Champion and current Kent State shortstop Megan Turner that someone with West Salem Northwestern, the Flashes opponent Saturday in the final, said something that has probably often been mentioned of Champion’s power-packed lineup.
“Northwestern was sitting there and they said, ‘What do they feed those girls?’ ” Weaver said. “The size and power.”
The top four hitters for the Flashes combined for nine hits and 10 RBIs. Lead-off hitter Allison Smith was held without a hit, primarily because she walked three times, including two intentionally.
Cassidy Shaffer had a huge day at the plate. The sophomore drove in six runs on four hits. Gumont had two hits and drove in two runs, while Abbi Grace lined four hits and drove in a pair of runs.
“All of us hit the ball hard,” Shaffer said. “It can be scary.”
Sophomore Sophie Howell walked Marlaina Slabach leading off the bottom of the first, but allowed just two more base runners until walking two batters with one out in the fifth. Howell, who struck out nine, allowed just a single to Slabach in the third.
Saturday’s final starts at noon.