Stowsentry.com - Walsh softball falls to archrival Irish

by Dean Raymond

Correspondent

Akron -- Senior lefthander Katie Killian was on her game as host St. Vincent St. Mary downed Walsh Jesuit, 5-3 Friday afternoon in girls high school softball action at Patterson Park.

The Irish southpaw tossed a complete-game seven-hitter with two strikeouts and no walks to improve her record on the mound to 2-4.

The Lady Warriors (5-3) did lead in the game at 1-0 when Killian gave up a run in the top of the first inning. Junior shortstop Molly McNamara led-off with an infield single and then stole second base with no outs. With one out, senior right-hander Lauren Toth also beat out an infield single with McNamara advancing to third base. Pinch runner (for Toth), sophomore Jacqui Endre, then stole second base. With two outs, junior catcher Maria Simone reached first base on a throwing error as McNamara scored for a 1-0 Walsh Jesuit advantage.

Killian then recorded a pop-out to get out of further trouble.

The Irish pretty much won the game in the bottom of the first inning as they scored four runs off of Toth (3-1).

Killian led-off and walked before a Lady Warrior error put Killian on third base and freshman center fielder Alyssa Paolucci on first base. Another Walsh Jesuit miscue scored Killian as Paolucci went to third base. Senior second baseman Olivia Mathews then walked and stole second base.

Toth walked sophomore catcher Racheal Dedinsky and sophomore designated player Jenna Boyle as Paolucci scored for a 2-1 Irish lead. Senior third baseman Katie Marks came up next and singled to left-centerfield, scoring Mathews for a 3-1 Irish advantage.

Junior first baseman Emily Wilde also walked as Dedinsky scored for a 4-1 Green and Gold lead.

Sophomore right-hander Corey Rubright relieved Toth at that point for the Lady Warriors and fanned the next two batters.

Rubright then recorded an unassisted groundout to end the lengthy first inning.

Walsh Jesuit could muster only a one-out bunt single from freshman third baseman Kaleigh Cupka in the third inning before scoring twice in the fifth frame to trail just 4-3.

With one out, junior designated player Jen Omlor singled to centerfield and advanced to second base on a groundout. McNamara then singled to centerfield as Omlor raced to third base and McNamara to second on the throw home from the outfield. Both runners came home when Cupka singled to centerfield as the Lady Warriors were down just a run.

However, the Lady Irish answered with a big insurance run in the bottom of the fifth frame. Dedinsky led-off with a walk and stood on second base with two outs after a groundout put her in scoring position. Wilde then singled to rightfield, scoring Dedinsky for a 5-3 Green and Gold advantage.

Walsh Jesuit got a two-out single by sophomore second baseman Calia Battista in the top of the sixth inning before Killian retired the next four batters to end the game.

"We didn't hit the ball well today," Lady Warrior head coach Larry Deeks said. "We needed to rally and we couldn't."

St. V St. M (3-5) ended up stranding seven runners in the game while Walsh Jesuit left four on the bases.

Rubright was also impressive on the hill for the Maroon and Gold as she pitched six innings, giving up just four hits (the Lady Warriors out-hit the Lady Irish 7-4) with just two walks and nine strikeouts.

Walsh committed two errors in the game while St. V St. M had only one miscue.

McNamara and Cupka has two hits apiece for Walsh Jesuit on the day.

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