By Roger Gordon

Correspondent

Visiting Waterloo had Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference (MVAC) rival Lowellville on its heels from the very start April 6 in the Vikings’ 8-1 victory that was called after five innings due to inclement weather.

Waterloo jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning and put it in cruise control the rest of the way. The Vikings are now, ironically, 5-0 overall, each win against MVAC teams, and find themselves in first place in the conference.

Patience at the plate – leading to four wild pitches that plated four runs – during that opening frame was crucial to the Vikings’ first-inning follies.

“That first inning set the tone for the game,” head coach Brenda Flarida said.

Leading the way at the plate were sophomore Jolean Hampton with a two-run homer, a single and two runs; junior left fielder Kaylynn Esola with a pair of singles and an RBI; and

Bayley English with a double and two runs.

On the mound, Hampton started and went the distance, yielding only two hits while fanning five and walking three.

“Jolean,” said Flarida, “did a great job keeping hitters off balance and in check all night.”

AURORA

Two softball standbys guided Aurora to a 7-3 victory April 2 at home over St. Vincent-St. Mary.

“We had some clutch pitching and some good defense,” head coach Sam Petrash said.

The Greenmen are now 6-1 for the season.

On the mound, sophomore Ruby Sorma started and went 3 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking one. Relieving her was freshman Abbie Ferree, who pitched the rest of the way, fanning four and walking two.

“It took Ruby a couple batters to settle in, but once she did, she was making her pitches,” said Petrash. “Abbie gave St. V-St. M a different look. She moves the ball around. They both did a great job.”

In the field, senior Lailah Bohanan made a diving catch in centerfield.

The Greenmen produced some decent hitting as well, led by sophomore catcher Rachel Devenish home run, single, two RBIs and a run. Senior leftfielder Abby Dalessandro doubled twice, knocked in a run and scored twice, while her classmate, second baseman Charlotte Sorma, had two singles.

STREETSBORO

The key to Streetsboro’s 11-2 triumph April 6 at home over Metro Athletic Conference (MAC) foe Norton?

Seven of the Rockets’ runs came with two outs.

“Just because we had two outs, we didn’t give up,” head coach LeRoy Moore said. “We still put the ball in play.”

The home team improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the MAC.

Pacing Streetsboro offensively were sophomore shortstop Ella Simpson, who had two doubles, two RBIs and three runs; junior catcher Olivia DeToro, who doubled, singled, knocked in two runs and scored once; and senior Payton Williams, who had two singles and scored a run.

Williams also started on the hill and went five innings, giving up two runs, six hits and walking three. She had a strong defense behind her, with sophomore third baseman Mallory Gierke leading the way with seven assists and a put-out.

“Mallory’s defense was pretty stellar,” said Moore. “Norton put the ball in play, and she was able to make all the plays they hit toward her. In fact, the game ended on three ground balls to Mallory, and it was 5-3, 5-3, 5-3.

Junior Kaelyn Malloy pitched the final two innings, yielding a hit and walking one.

SOUTHEAST

Savannah Powell did it all March 30 in Southeast’s 3-1 victory at home over Garfield in the Pirates’ Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference opener. The Pirates are 2-1 on the season.

The junior started on the hill and went six inning, giving up only two hits while striking out 10 and walking just two.

“Savannah was doing a great job shutting Garfield down,” head coach Erin Muncy said. “Even when they scored a run in the top of the fourth inning, I felt like we were going to win. Our defense and Savannah’s pitching were so good, and in the bottom of the sixth we scored three runs and were able to hold on. Savannah was definitely the MVP of the game. She was getting them to chase pitches. She was really, really efficient, throwing strikes and hitting her spots. She did a really nice job.”

Liv Bragg pitched the last inning, yielding a hit and a walk.

At the plate Powell doubled, singled twice and knocked in two runs. Junior shortstop Neena Truex doubled, had an RBI and scored a run. Singling and scoring once were senior first baseman Morgan Muncy and sophomore catcher Lylia Lavigna.

“It was a great game, a very fun game,” said the elder Muncy.

FIELD

Field has a very young team this season, with only two starters having returned from last season.

Facing Cardinal Mooney freshman pitcher Alexis McKinstry March 30 on the road no less was a new experience for these “green” Falcons.

“We faced a very good pitcher,” head coach Beth Dyer said. “She threw pretty hard and mixed in a nice changeup. To this point, it was probably one of the best pitchers a lot of our players had seen. Most of the team has not seen varsity pitching like that. I think it was an eye-opening experience for them.”

Field batters struck out a whopping 16 times and managed just two runs and two hits in a 5-2 defeat. The Falcons are 3-1 on the season.

“We battled throughout the game,” said Dyer of her team that was able to draw seven walks. “We had several opportunities to score. It raised our players’ level of competition. I think they needed to see that.”

Singling were senior catcher Averi Weis and sophomore third baseman Bre Homan. Weis also scored a run. Sophomore shortstop Ally Barto knocked in a run.

Pitching wise, junior Adriana Berry started and went the distance in striking out seven and issuing two walks.

“I think Adriana pitched well enough, kept us in the ballgame and used her defense,” said the coach. “Her walks were down, which was good. Cardinal Mooney had some nice hitters.”

MOGADORE

Tali Bartholomew was “in the zone” on the mound in hurling Mogadore to a 1-0 win April 4 at Minerva in game one of a doubleheader.

The sophomore gave up only four hits while fanning 11 and walking just one.

“From a mental aspect, Tali pitched very well. She was in tune,” head coach Calee Lung said. “All of her pitches were moving, hitting spots. I think a big reason for that was the communication she had from her teammates. You could hear them in the field the whole time, and you could see how that affected her. She was always up and was never worried that they didn’t have her back.”

Sophomore Layla Funk singled home senior second baseman Peyton Walker in the top of the sixth for the game’s only run.

The Wildcats lost game two 10-5. They are 3-4 for the season.

Senior Embry Hudak started and pitched into the fourth inning. Bartholomew relieved her and gave up two runs and two hits while striking out four.

“Embry was hitting her spots, but a lot were passed balls, which resulted in a lot of stolen bases,” said Lung. “She throws a lot of drops, so that tends to happen.”

Offensively, Bartholomew had three singles and scored two runs, and Hudak tripled.

Singling twice were sophomores Morgen Smith, a first baseman, and Autumn Betts, a left fielder.

GARFIELD

Remarkably, Garfield has played just two games thus far this season.

One was a season-opening 3-1 loss March 30 at Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference rival Southeast. The G-Men mustered a single run in the top of the fourth inning and were clinging to a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. The Pirates plated their three runs in that frame. The visitors managed only three hits – a double by sophomore Diamond Dyson and singles by senior Annie Rado and sophomore Emily Knerem.

“We really struggled to hit Southeast’s pitcher,” head coach Tina Faulhaber said of her team that is 1-1. “She did exactly what she needed to do to keep us off the basepaths. We fell for a couple different pitches that she was throwing and just couldn’t really make solid contact. Their team was doing well defensively for what little bit we did hit.”

Sophomore Olivia Bailey started and went the distance.

“Olivia pitched a great game,” said Faulhaber, “and even had some defensive plays of her own to help out. Southeast had runners on base early, but she was able to keep them from scoring.

“Both pitchers did really well. It’s just they got key hits when they had runners on base and we didn’t.”

RAVENNA

It is rare when a freshman athlete has as much of an effect on his or her team as Jordan Trego does for Ravenna.

Trego, the Ravens’ No. 1 pitcher and the third batter in the order, started on the mound April 6 at Cloverleaf in Ravenna’s Metro Athletic Conference opener. She took ill, though, in the first inning and was removed from the game.

Sophomore Jocelynn Smallwood replaced Trego went the rest of way, but the Ravens eventually fell 13-0, slipping the team to 1-4 for the season.

“Jocelynn did a decent job. She threw some good pitches, but we had people out of position,” head coach Luke Darrah said. “I’ve got three players who have never touched a softball before, and they all had to play because our numbers are down. Once Jordan went out, we kind of lost our focus. Had she not gotten sick, we definitely could’ve won the game.”

Ravenna’s mustered just three singles by Smallwood, sophomore shortstop Savanna McKeown and first baseman Alivia Dailey.