The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Rebels rally to capture district championship
South erases four-run deficit, will face Canfield in Division I regional semifinal
The South Rebels are headed back to the regional softball tournament.
After spotting top-seeded Madison a 6-2 lead in the first inning, South scored 10 unanswered runs and took a 12-6 victory that will put the Rebels in the University of Akron Regional on May 23 to play Canfield, the champion of the Solon District.
“I’ve been here 13 years and I’ve said from Day 1 that conference championships are great. They’re wonderful,” said South coach Erin Dodson. “But it’s what you do in the postseason that dictates whether you are a good team or a great team. This shows we are on the more to (being) a great team.”
The Western Reserve Conference champion Rebels (237) sprayed 15 hits around the ballpark, took advantage of 10 walks issued by Madison pitchers and despite scoring 12 runs, left a small village on base by stranding 14 runners.
Madison (18-4) looked as though it was going to take the rubber match of the season series — the Blue Streaks and Rebels split their regular season matchups.
When Jordan Pasalaqua and Alexis Lavdis ripped RBI singles, followed by a bases-loaded double by Allison Schultz and a runscoring double by Halle Blackford, the Blue Streaks had a 6-2 lead after one.
But after Madison’s first seven batters in the first inning reached, winning pitcher Riley Frizell faced only three batters over the minimum the rest of the game.
“We worked so hard in the summer on the mental game, and you saw it today,” Dodson said. “We really could have packed our bags and left after the first or second inning, but mentally we stayed strong and stayed in it. We kept fighting.”
Ava Scott delivered tworun singles in both the second and third innings to help South retake the lead, a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
“That’s obviously not our ideal situation,” said Frizell of giving up six runs in the first inning, “but I’m proud of the way our team came back. That was a bumpy, rough inning, I’m not going
to lie. But we settled down, played our game and came out with a ‘W.’ ”
The score could have been much worse. South left multiple runners on base in six of the seven innings.
“That happened yesterday (in a district semifinal win over North), it happened against Mayfield,” Dodson said. “We’re leaving too many runners in scoring position. That’s something we have to
change if we’re going to do something down the road.”
Somewhat lost in the impressive offensive outburst was Frizell’s dominance over a rugged Madison lineup. After giving up six runs on five hits in the first inning, the sophomore pitcher gave up only one hit the rest of the game.
Frizell only struck out two, but got dynamic defense behind her.
“We didn’t hit the ball hard enough,” said Madison
coach Art Rose. “If we did hit it hard enough, we hit it right at somebody.
“I think we still hit the ball hard a few times, but it was right at the shortstop. Or right at the second baseman. Or right at the third baseman. Or right at the center fielder. Move all those shots over two feet and it’s a whole new ballgame.”
While Madison struggled to piece together offense after the first inning, South’s offense had many stars. Mya Matriano had three hits and three runs as the leadoff batter, Frizell had two hits and four runs, Scott had her four RBI to go with three hits and even No. 8 hitter Allison Cesar had a double, triple and three runs scored.
“We can hit one-throughnine,” Dodson said.
Now the Rebels are in the regional tournament for the first time since their seniors were freshmen.
Make that senior, as Kristen Jesberger is the lone 12th-grader on the team.
“We’re ultimately doing this for Kristen,” Frizell said. “She’s our only senior. We want nothing more. We’re going to work our butts off for this girl.”