
HARWELLPHOTO.COM
Copley first team All-Ohio senior Mackenzie Wallace is back to lead the Indians as they hope to build on last season's appearance in the Division I regionals.
COPLEY TWP., Ohio -- With a bright, sunny Monday afternoon, coach Glenn McCoy was half serious when he said, "We've never played in this kind of weather."
The defending Suburban League champion Tallmadge Blue Devils were on their way to Copley High School.
"We're used to being mudders," said the Indians' fourth-year coach.
But, McCoy's tribe delivered the mail, regardless of the beautiful sunlight, crushing the Blue Devils 10-3 and reducing its magic number to one. A win Tuesday at Wadsworth and Copley (15-1, 12-0) will clinch its first-ever SL softball championship.
This team has come through rain, sleet, wind and an intense cold -- and their coach is so proud. Nothing has stopped them.
Copley pounded 17 hits and it started with three runs in the bottom of the first.
Junior Mackenzie Wallace (15-1), as she has done all season, dominated in the circle and added three hits to spark the Copley offense.
Sophomore infielder Lizzie Fela also enjoyed a 3-for-4 day with two singles, a double and four RBI. Junior Emma Fish and freshman Maddie Flasco each had two hits. Fish had four RBI.
"They are probably the hardest working group I've had," McCoy said. "They haven't asked for a day off. They are devastated if we don't practice.
"I don't have any superstars. These are my girls -- my daughters."
It's the kind of season a coach and his players want to last and last.
The Indians will host Wooster or Barberton in a Division I Sectional championship game on Friday.
"They feel they are sisters and they play hard for each other," McCoy added. "They love one and another."
Paige Schertzinger took the loss for Tallmadge (13-9, 9-2).
In other Monday games:
Springfield 1, Southeast 0
PALMYRA TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- In just about every championship run there is that clutch road win late in the season and it provides a momentum boost.
The first-place Springfield Spartans may have experienced that kind of win on Monday.
Limited to just two hits, Springfield (14-6, 9-2) was able to grind out an important Portage Trail Conference Metro win behind sophomore pitcher Quartni Whited.
Springfield pushed across the only run of the game in the top of the sixth and hung on for the win at Southeast (6-5, 6-4). Sophomore Sarah Stubbs cracked a double for the Spartans.
Twinsburg 5, Nordonia 4 (8)
TWINSBURG, Ohio -- Twinsburg senior first basemen Jess Bequette has a flair for the dramatic.
Her home run in the bottom of the eighth lifted the Tigers (11-3, 7-1) to a Northeast Ohio Conference victory Monday after they had trailed 4-3 moments earlier.
Bequette's three-run HR in the sixth on April 21 enabled Twinsburg to surprise visiting Hudson 5-4.
And she turned the trick again against Nordonia (14-7, 2-4).
Senior Lisa Lash (10-3) earned the win. Nordonia junior ace Sara Andrasik took the loss. Senior center fielder Kelsey Shirey homered for the Knights.
Strongsville 4, Medina 3 (9)
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio -- First-year Medina coach Jessica Toocheck has received as stringent a test as any rookie coach should have to endure.
The Bees (7-10, 3-5) lost another heartbreaker on Monday, fighting back from a 2-0 deficit, taking a 3-2 lead and then falling 4-3 in nine innings.
Strongsville (11-5) got the pay back after Medina had beaten the Mustangs 4-2 on Apr. 28.
Coupled with record rainfall, the Bees have lost four one-run ballgames and some have been excruciating.
Natalie Mariano went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored for Strongsville.
In Sectional games:
Buckeye 6, Oberlin Firelands 5
YORK TWP., Ohio -- Tori Hauser led Buckeye to a stunning LaGrange Division II Sectional softball win over Oberlin Firelands on Monday.
Hauser, the winning pitcher, had two doubles and three RBI on the contest. The Bucks (5-11) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to snag the win. Firelands (3-10) led 5-2 and needed three outs to complete the playoff win. Buckeye plays at 10-time defending district champion Keystone LaGrange on Tuesday.
Akron Div. II
Woodridge 2, Archbishop Hoban 1
Streetsboro 25, Buchtel 1
CVCA 12, Akron North 1
St. Vincent-St. Mary 1, Revere 0
Alliance Div. II
Crestwood 8, Ravenna 2
Coventry 5, Northwest 4