April 30, 2000

Softball games

Senecas advance to semis

ATTICA &emdash; Sara Stover fired a three-hitter to improve her record to 9-3 and help Midland Athletic League-leading Calvert to a 4-3 win over Sandusky St. Mary's in a first-round Division III tournament game.

The Senecas (10-6) scored a pair of runs in the first inning, and saw the Panthers counter with single runs in the second and third innings.

Hillary Hepp drove in one of Calvert's two runs in the sixth to take the lead, and Stover survived an unearned run by St. Mary's in the seventh to secure the win.

"Sara was right on," Calvert coach Bob Grothaus said. "She's a good girl, and we're glad to have her right now. These girls are really pumped, and that's the best thing right now. They're getting excited all the time, and it's fun watching them play."

Calvert totaled seven hits in the game, from six different hitters. Audra Lewis doubled and tripled, and Stover, Megan Marinis, Ashley Hepp, Amanda Margraf, Hillary Hepp and Reser all had singles.

Natasha Carpenter drove in a run for the Senecas.

Calvert advances to take New London 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Seneca East Athletic Complex in a semifinal matchup. New London eliminated Wynford.

Warriors KO top seed

SYCAMORE &emdash; Mohawk withstood a big rally to knock top-seeded Arlington from the Division III tournament with a 6-5 victory.

The Warriors scored three runs in the first inning and took a 6-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth before the Red Devils mounted a comeback.

Arlington scored four times in the fifth and added another in the sixth, but the Warriors put the brakes on the rally after that.

"Our batting seemed to go downhill, however our defense pulled it through for us," Mohawk coach Jenny Weinandy said. "I knew our defense was strong, and we just came out on top. The girls really worked hard as a team."

Maggie Phillips and Deanna Kirian both had a pair of hits to pace the Warriors offense. Jodi Stevens, Ashley Walton and Megan Martin contributed one hit apiece.

Stevens fired a complete game to improve her record to 4-3. She struck out four, walked three and allowed five hits.

Kristen Bash doubled for the Red Devils. Jenny Coletta struck out seven and walked three in taking the loss.

Tigers move on in sectional

ATTICA &emdash; Seneca East used a six-run fourth inning as the centerpiece to a 15-2 win over Norwalk St. Paul in a Division III sectional game.

The Tigers improve to 10-4 and move on to play Buckeye Central for the sectional title Thursday. North Baltimore will host Seneca East Monday in an MAL game.

April Hafner is 6-3 after striking out five and not walking a batter in five innings. She gave up a run on two hits. Joleen Williams finished up, striking out three and walking one in two innings. Meghan Hills took the loss for St. Paul (8-8).

St. Paul grabbed an early 1-0 lead, but the Tigers struck back with two runs in the first and three in the second.

Laurie Kochel was the only SE player with two hits, going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and an RBI. Cassie Holmer tripled and drove in two runs, and Holly Chapman had a run and three RBIs to go with her single. Melissa Green and Kelly King (run) had a hit and two RBIs each. Lisa Miller (run) had a single and a run.

Charissa Thompson scored three runs and Haleigh Conley came across twice for Seneca East. Kristy Rucker, Julie Bumb, Lindsey Weiker, Megan Nagel and Jessie Smith scored runs.

"April and Joleen both pitched well, and that was a big key," Seneca East coach Rick Bumb said. "We got good defense and timely hits today."

Chieftain bats sizzle in sectional

OLD FORT &emdash; Hopewell-Loudon had 19 hits, and two Chieftains scored in the first four innings of the game in a 17-0 win over Bettsville in the Division III sectional semifinals at Old Fort.

Jamie Painter, Holly Thom, Elizabeth Hoover had three hits each for the Chieftains (8-7), who advanced to play St. Wendelin or Fremont St. Joseph next Saturday at 2 p.m. Hopewell-Loudon hosts Lakota Tuesday while Bettsville (1-11) hosts Old Fort Monday.

Painter hit two triples and Thom and Hoover had one each, and Thom doubled twice with Hoover hitting one. Ashley Frankart had four runs, two singles and an RBI. Thom drove in four runs and Painter had three RBIs.

Others with hits for Hopewell-Loudon included Lindsay Borer (run), Nicole Cleland (run), Melissa Garcia (run), Holly Coleman and Michelle DeVault. Painter scored four runs, and Thom and Hoover scored twice each. Alicia Smith scored a run and had an RBI.

Jessica Vallejo had the only hit for Bettsville. Charlene Soto took the loss on the mound, striking out one and walking two.

Kerstin Reinhart was the winning pitcher for Hopewell-Loudon, striking out seven and not walking a batter in a complete game effort.

Unearned runs drain Fostoria in tournament

NAPOLEON &emdash; One inning of offense would be all Bryan would need as Fostoria bowed out of the Division II sectional at Napoleon with a 4-3 loss to the Golden Bears.

Two errors by Fostoria (9-6) in the fourth inning helped Bryan (8-5) scored three earned runs in what had been a scoreless game. The Redmen scored twice in the fifth and once in the sixth, but left 11 runners on base, including eight in scoring position.

Tracy Lee (6-3) took the tough-luck pitching loss for Fostoria, striking out three and walking two in a complete game.

Lee, Sarah Fleming, Jessie Echelberry and Michelle Lykins had two hits apiece for Fostoria, and Echelberry, Ashley Correll and Darci Correll had RBIs.

Fostoria hosts Oregon Clay Monday in a Great Lakes League game.

Regular Season

Rupp one-hits Marion Harding to help Tornadoes split doubleheader

Columbian split a doubleheader with Marion Harding Saturday, using a one-hitter by Erin Rupp and a great sixth inning to blank Marion Harding 7-0 in the second game after falling 2-1 in the first.

All that kept Rupp, now 7-1, from a perfect game in Columbian's win was a single by the Marion Harding leadoff hitter, who was soon erased on a double play.

Rupp faced the minimum 21 batters, fanning 10 of them without giving up a walk while the Tornadoes (10-3) didn't commit an error.

Columbian got the only run it needed in the first inning, but took advantage of great hitting and three Marion Harding (5-12) miscues in the sixth inning to plate six more runs.

Nicki Kuhn, Lisa Hess and April Vanover all doubled in sixth, an inning that saw 11 Tornadoes come to the plate.

Katie Fazekas led the Columbian assault in the win, singling three times to drive in run and scoring twice while Kristin Seitz knocked in a pair on two singles.

Kuhn added a triple and RBI and Kaila Dunn and Stephanie Crabill each had a single and RBI.

The second game was a lot cleaner, with neither team committing an error.

Marion Harding broke a scoreless tie in the third with two runs.

Kuhn doubled in the sixth and scored on a single by Hess for Columbian, but the Tornadoes could get no closer.

Anna Fretz (3-2) suffered the loss, striking out seven while giving up four walks and five hits. She and Seitz both lined a single.

The Tornadoes take on Mansfield in the Division I sectional tournament Monday in Fremont.