RAIDERS COUNTER PUNCH GETS THEM SEASON SWEEP OF POLAND

POLAND OH- After winning emphatically on Wednesday night 9-0, South Range came in to Game 2 against Poland knowing they were going to get a battle. Although to start it seemed destined to be another runaway. The Raiders quickly jumped out to a 5-0 lead after their half of the 3rd. Big hits early in the game for the Raiders came from Julie Stachowicz who put them on the board first with a two run single.  Gretchen Bartels stepped up in the third with a two run single to put the 5th runs on the board.

Poland was not shaken by the deficit though, as they finally found a crack in the daunted Raiders pitching. In the bottom of the third the Bulldogs struck for Leanna Boccieri got the scoring for Poland started with a two run double.  Leann Williams singled in another run later on in the inning to make it 5-4, and right after her Kylie Hudran walked to tie up the game at 5. A Mary Brant double in the next inning would give the Bulldogs their first lead of the series 6-5.

Unfortunately for Poland, the Raiders were down but not out. They proved how much they can fight back with a dramatic counter punch.  With two outs in the 5th, the Raiders made their move.  Maddie Dado came up with a clutch RBI single to tie the game back up, and then Bartels struck again with a double that gave the Raiders back the lead.  Jamie Feren would eventually add an insurance run with a RBI groundout scoring Keira Brogan who tripled the at bat before.

Poland would put the game tying run on base in the 7th with two outs but Stachowicz would induce a fly out from Avery Jakobovic to end the threat and seal the South Range win.

Bartels was perfect at the plate for the Raiders going 2-2 with a walk and 3 RBI. Stachowicz led the Raiders in hits with a 3-4 day knocking in 2 RBI.  Dado and Feren both added RBI to the Raiders offense. Brogan went 2-3 at the top of the order with a run scored.

Stachowicz picked up the win in the circle for the Raiders pitching the final 4.1 innings of the game.  She only gave up 3 hits and 1 earned run.  She struck out 4.

Poland was led by Brant who went 2-4 with 2 RBI and a run scored. Boccieri also notched a pair of RBI for the Bulldogs going 1-3 with a run scored.  Hudran finished the night with multiple hits going 2-3 with a walk, a run scored, and a RBI.

Both teams are going to go travel to sharpen their tools over the weekend.  South Range will head to Stow to take on Tallmadge and Stow Monroe Falls. Start times for those two games are 1:00 and 3:00.  Poland is heading to Ashland to participate in the Wendy’s Classic. They have a matchup with Ontario on Friday at 4:30.