HUBBARD STUNS CARDINALS IN THRILLING UPSET

HUBBARD, Ohio –

In a rematch from their matchup late in March,the Canfield Cardinals (16-7) played host to the Hubbard Lady Eagles (16-9) with a ticket to the District final on the line. Although this game took place on the Eagles home field, the Cardinals were dubbed the home team since they were the higher seed coming into the game.

While the game took a while to get started, due to the prior matchup of Girard and Marlington running over, the Lady Eagles bats needed no time at all to get going. Lexi Nadjusak would lead off the game with a single to right field. Just 2 batters later, the senior catcher would come across to score after Gillian Ryser singled to left then got herself in a rundown to buy enough time for Nadjusak to score.

With her offense providing some early breathing room, freshman Isabella O’Brien took the mound for the Eagles on a mission. The young phenom struck out 8 straight batters to start the game and didn’t allow her first hit until the bottom of the 5th.

Senior Lauren Fitzgerald would collect the first hit for the Cardinals in style with a double off the top of the wall to lead off the inning. Unfortunately for Fitzgerald, she would receive no help from her teammates, as O’Brien would bounce back to collect 3 straight outs and keep Canfield at bay.

The next dose of excitement would come with the Cardinals backs against the wall in the bottom of the 7th. With just 2 outs remaining after a ground out to start the inning, Canfield was at their 3 spot in the lineup with 1 away. Although she put solid swings on the ball all day, Madison Angelo headed to the dish 0-2. Angelo would erase her struggles with a scorching double off the left field wall on the 13th pitch of the at bat.

With a runner in scoring position, Lauren Fitzgerald headed to the dish with momentum firmly in her corner. Already with a double to her name, Fitzgerald would smoke one past the Hubbard third baseman and roll all the way to the wall, trading places with Angelo and tying things at 1.

A wild pitch would allow Fitzgerald to move over to third and had the Cardinals just 60 feet away from a district title appearance. Trying to squeeze the runner home, the Canfield hitter would pop a bunt into the air high enough for Hubbard’s Nadjusak to hull it in for out number 2. O’Brien would then sit the next batter down on strikes and force extra innings.

Stepping up after allowing back-to-back doubles to let Canfield tie, O’Brien led of extras with a towering double of the left field wall. A sacrifice bunt would move the freshman over to third before a ground out to the right side would see O’Brien come across and put the Eagles back out in front, 2-1.

Heading out to the mound for her 8th inning of work, O’Brien then ended the game the way she had started it, on strikes. Bell would punch out her opposing pitcher in a full count, a pinch hitter in just 3 pitches, then the 9 hitter in just 4 to give the Lady Eagles the 2-1 victory and move on to the district final.

TOP PERFORMERS:

HUBBARD

Isabella O’Brien – 2-for-3, 1 double, 1 run scored, 8 innings pitched, 3 hits allowed, 1 earned run, 16 Ks

Lexi Nadjusak – 1-for-3, 1 run scored, 1 RBI

Gillian Ryser – 2-for-3, 1 RBI

CANFIELD

Malena Toth – 8 innings pitched, 6 hits allowed, 2 earned runs, 9 Ks

Lauren Fitzgerald – 2-for-3, 2 doubles, 1 RBI

Madison Angelo – 1-for-3, 1 double, 1 run scored

WHAT’S NEXT:

Hubbard- The Lady Eagles are in store for another rematch with a team they lost to in non-conference play, the Marlington Dukes. It was a 10-9 victory at the Dukes place when they last faced on April 23rd. The loss would send the Eagles on a stretch in which they have won 9 of their last 10. The district final will take place in Hubbard on Thursday the 20th at 5:00 pm.

*Contributed By YSN’s Jamie Thomson