Tag Archive for: Champion

GARFIELD KEEPS ROLLING IN THE MVAC

/in /by

GARRETTSVILLE OH-  Aidan Hill had the stuff on Monday—and Champion had no answers. The righty carved up the Flashes lineup with 15 punchouts in a complete-game gem, guiding Garfield to a 6-1 win.

Hill went the distance, giving up just two hits and one run while working around four walks. Flat-out dominant.

Garfield wasted no time getting on the board—Jared Cardinal ripped an RBI single in the first to get the party started. They kept the pressure on from there, piling up nine hits by the end of the night.

Carson Norton came through from the nine-hole with a key RBI knock, while Hill, Cardinal, and Garet Warnick all racked up two hits apiece. Clean ball all around—Garfield didn’t boot a single play, and Brock Pesicek handled 16 chances like a pro.

For Champion, Dylan Howell took the loss despite fanning seven over five innings. Carter Chapin and Bradey Quinby each picked up a hit, and the Flashes turned a slick double play to keep things respectable.

Garfield rolls into their next matchup at home Tuesday, squaring off with Brookfield. If Hill’s locked in again, good luck.

CHAMPION IS RIGHT WHERE THEY BELONG

/in /by

WARREN OH-  Champion’s got their ace rolling—and that spells trouble for everyone else. Gabby Gradishar was nearly untouchable Monday, striking out 20 and tossing a one-hit shutout as the Golden Flashes blanked Liberty 6-0 in the district semifinal. With the win, Champion punches their ticket to the district title game against Poland on Wednesday at Hubbard.

Gradishar was on another level. She didn’t allow a hit until late, walked just one, and even tossed an immaculate inning in the second—three strikeouts on nine pitches. Total dominance.

The Flashes wasted no time giving her some run support. In the bottom of the first, Taylor Rouan ripped a double to center and later came around to score, giving Champion a quick 2-0 lead.

Adalyn McIntosh kept the offense rolling in the third with an RBI single down the right field line to stretch the lead to 3-0. Champion would tack on three more by the fourth and never looked back.

Ava Sylvester and Josie Perhach each collected a pair of hits, while McIntosh, Rouan, and Maddison Sylvester each drove in runs to pace the Flashes’ offense. Champion was sharp defensively, too—zero errors, with Perhach racking up 20 chances behind the dish.

Liberty managed just one hit, a single from Chloe Fleps, and couldn’t get anything going against Gradishar’s mix of gas and movement. Strohmeyer took the loss for the Leopards, giving up six runs—three earned—across four innings.

Champion now sets their sights on a clash with Poland in the district championship, with a shot at more postseason hardware on the line.

CHAMPION RALLY FALLS SHORT

/in /by

PAINSVILLE OH- Gabrielle Gradishar was lights out in the circle, mowing down 17 batters on Friday—but it still wasn’t enough, as Champion came up short in a 4-2 loss to Riverside.

Gradishar kept hitters guessing all night, striking out the side in multiple frames and walking just one, but a couple of timely swings from Riverside proved to be the difference. Maddi Proud doubled in a run in the first, then did it again in the third to make it 2-0 Beavers.

Champion clawed back late. Gradishar ripped a solo shot to dead center in the sixth to cut the lead in half, but Clara Granchi answered with a two-run homer of her own in the top of the seventh, stretching the Riverside lead to 4-1. Champion managed to scrape across one more in their final at-bat, but the rally stopped there.

Granchi also went the distance in the circle for Riverside, striking out 11 while allowing just five hits and zero free passes. Proud and Granchi both finished with two hits and two RBI, with Granchi adding a pair of stolen bases to her stat line.

Gradishar and Jonna Strock each notched two hits for Champion, with Josie Perhach driving in the other run. The Flashes did turn a double play defensively, but couldn’t generate enough offense to back Gradishar’s electric performance. Champion will try to bounce back Monday when they host Liberty in the District Semifinals.

PIRATES TURN THINGS AROUND TO SPLIT WITH CHAMPION

/in /by

RAVENNA OH-  It was a pitcher’s duel Tuesday night, and Southeast came out on top with a gritty 3-1 win over Champion.

The Pirates struck early in the first inning when Caleb Miller came through with a clutch single that brought in two runs and gave Southeast a lead they never gave back.

Caden Dillon got the start and was dialed in from the jump. The righty went five strong, giving up just two hits and one unearned run while fanning eight. Nate Muccino came in late to lock it down and grab the save.

Champion’s Reed went the distance on the bump, tossing all seven and keeping his team in it. He gave up three runs on six hits, walked four, and punched out five. Solid outing, just didn’t get the run support.

Miller led the way for Southeast at the plate with two RBIs. Zach Keto added some juice out of the 7-hole, going 2-for-2 and swiping three bags. The Pirates ended up with four steals total, putting pressure on the basepaths all night.

Champion had a couple bright spots—Reed and White each picked up a hit, and Reed drove in the Flashes’ lone run. Defensively, Champion flashed some leather with two double plays and a clean game in the field. Hixson anchored the defense with six putouts. Next up, Southeast gets back to work at home Thursday when they take on St. Thomas Aquinas.

CHAMPION ONLY NEEDS ONE RUN

/in /by

RAVENNA OH-  If you love low-scoring, edge-of-your-seat baseball, Champion and Southeast delivered just that on Monday. In a classic pitchers’ duel, Champion scratched across an early run and made it stand the rest of the way, walking off with a 1-0 win. The difference? One hit batter with the bases loaded in the second inning. That was enough.

Champion got a gem on the mound—seven scoreless innings with just four hits allowed, one walk, and two punchouts. Clean, efficient, and backed by solid D, including a slick double play and no errors.

Southeast’s arm was just as nasty—seven innings, 14 strikeouts, one walk, and only four hits allowed—but came away with the hard-luck loss thanks to that one run.

Champion spread out the offense with four different players each logging a hit. The lone RBI came from the batter who wore one in the second and brought home the game’s only run.

Both teams played clean ball in the field. Southeast didn’t boot a single ball and had solid coverage all around.

They’ll run it back Tuesday as the two squads meet again—don’t expect many runs, but expect a fight.

LATE INNING MAGIC WINS FOR HOBAN

/in /by

AKRON OH- Archbishop Hoban pulled off some late-game magic on Monday, flipping a two-run hole into a 5-4 win over Champion thanks to a clutch blast from Savannah Regan.

Down 4-2 in the sixth, Regan stepped up and launched a three-run bomb to left that turned the game on its head and put the Knights in front for good.

Hoban actually jumped out first—Adeline Herstich knocked in a run in the opening frame—but Champion came swinging back in the third. Ava Sylvester ripped a single down the line to tie it, and an error let another run cross to give the Flashes a brief lead.

Champion added on in the sixth, but Regan’s three-run jack erased all that momentum.

Alivia Havanas went the distance in the circle for Hoban, scattering seven hits across seven innings. She gave up four runs (three earned), punched out four, and walked just one to grab the win.

Offensively, Hoban tallied 11 hits. Herstich, Mya Akers, and Madison Shenigo all had two knocks apiece. Regan only had one hit on the night—but it was the one that counted. She led the team with three RBIs. The Knights stayed aggressive on the base paths too, swiping four bags to keep the pressure on.

For Champion, Gabrielle Gradishar was locked in at the plate, going 3-for-3 from the top of the order. Sylvester and Sam Strock each drove in a run as well. The Flashes flashed some leather, turning a double play and playing clean with zero errors.

But the big swing belonged to Hoban—and it sent them rolling into their next matchup at Twinsburg on Tuesday. Champion moves on to Thursday where they’ll travel to Revere.

CHAMPION HAS AN AMAZING SATURDAY

/in /by

WARREN OH- Champion put together a solid Saturday at home, sweeping a doubleheader in convincing fashion—first rolling past LaBrae and then taking care of Canfield to cap off a statement day.

Game 1: Champion 12, LaBrae 2

The bats came alive early for Champion in the opener. Gabrielle Gradishar wasted no time getting things going, launching a solo shot in the first to light up the scoreboard. That was just the start of a big inning—Sam and Jonna Strock followed with RBI singles, and a LaBrae miscue brought in another to make it 5-0.

Champion kept pouring it on in the third with back-to-back doubles from Strock, Maddison Sylvester, and Taylor Rouan that pushed four more runs across. By the time it was all said and done, the Golden Flashes had racked up 12 runs on nine hits.

Gradishar was dominant in the circle, tossing three no-hit innings and striking out five before handing things over to Adalyn McIntosh to finish the job. LaBrae struggled to string together hits but did show some patience at the plate, working eight walks. Still, Champion controlled the tempo from start to finish.

Game 2: Champion 9, Canfield 2

The second game was a tougher test, but Champion still came out on top, riding a balanced attack and another strong performance from Gradishar in the circle.

Canfield’s Marina Koenig did all she could at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 and swiping a couple bags, but it wasn’t enough to slow down Champion’s momentum. After Canfield tied it 1-1 in the third, the Flashes responded with a three-run burst that set the tone for the rest of the game. McIntosh and Sylvester each knocked in runs, and a passed ball helped bring in another.

Champion added insurance in the later innings while Gradishar went the distance, allowing just one earned run and striking out seven. The Flashes finished with 11 hits, spreading the damage around with Sylvester, McIntosh, Rouan, and Gradishar each picking up two knocks. Gradishar also drove in three.

Champion moves to Monday’s matchup with Hoban riding a hot streak, while Canfield will look to bounce back when they welcome Perry.

FLASHES SHINE BRIGHT AGAINST BEREA

/in /by

WARREN OH- Champion leaned on their ace Thursday, and she didn’t disappoint. Gabrielle Gradishar was lights-out in the circle, striking out 10 and giving up just three hits over five innings as the Flashes rolled past Berea-Midpark, 11-1.

Gradishar even helped her own cause, blasting a solo shot to center to kick things off in the third. But it was the fifth inning where Champion really broke it open, unloading for seven runs. The lineup strung together doubles, RBI singles, and just kept the line moving until the scoreboard lit up.

The Flashes finished with 11 hits and played clean behind Gradishar—no errors, sharp defense, and zero let-ups. Adalyn McIntosh had herself a day at the plate, going 4-for-4 and knocking in a run. Taylor Rouan cleared the bases with a clutch double and ended with three RBIs. Josie Perhach chipped in with two more runs driven in and held things down on defense with 10 chances.

Berea-Midpark couldn’t keep up, though their leadoff stick managed two hits and Emma Simpson pushed across their lone run. Their starter battled through five but got tagged for 11 runs, 10 of them earned. Champion gets right back to work on Saturday when they host LaBrae.

CHAMPION FINDS SUCCESS ON THE ROAD

/in /by

BROOKFIELD OH-  Champion handled things on the road Thursday, rolling past Brookfield 7-2 in a solid all-around showing.

The Flashes got going in the second with a double down the line and a productive groundout to plate a pair. They kept it rolling in the third, tacking on another run with a sharp single to left.

Champion’s starter went six strong, giving up just two runs on two hits while working around six walks and punching out five. The pen shut it down from there with a clean final inning.

At the plate, Champion scattered 10 hits with a balanced attack. A couple of guys picked up multi-hit nights, and they got timely knocks with runners on. Two different hitters brought home a pair of runs, and they weren’t afraid to run either—swiping a few bags and putting pressure on the defense all night.

They turned a double play, stayed clean in the field with no errors, and looked sharp across the board.

Brookfield scratched across two runs thanks to some disciplined at-bats and six free passes, but couldn’t keep up with Champion’s pressure. A few bats chipped in with hits, and a pair of players drove in runs to get Brookfield on the board. Champion heads to Newton Falls next, looking to keep the momentum going.

CHAMPION GIVES UP ZERO HITS IN TWO GAMES WITH NEWTON FALLS

/in /by

WARREN OH-  The bats were booming and the pitching was lights out as Champion torched Newton Falls in a double dip on Wednesday. The Golden Flashes flexed in every phase, rolling to back-to-back shutouts—11-0 in Game 1 and 15-0 in Game 2—without allowing a single hit in either game.

Game 1 – Rouan Rakes, Strock Shuts it Down

Taylor Rouan came out swinging and never stopped. She went a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and two singles, driving the engine of Champion’s 11-0 romp to start the day. The Flashes hung a seven-spot in the second inning to blow things wide open. Gabrielle Gradishar launched a two-run bomb to center, Ava Sylvester and Adalyn McIntosh each knocked in a run, and Josie Perhach plated two more with a single.

On the mound, Jonna Strock was untouchable—literally. The righty fired three hitless innings, fanning six without issuing a walk.

Champion racked up 10 hits in the opener, with Rouan, McIntosh, Perhach, and Sylvester all collecting two RBI each. The defense stayed clean, not a single error on the board.

Game 2 – Gradishar Goes Grand, Flashes Pour It On

If the first game was a statement, the second was a mic drop. Champion exploded for 10 runs in the opening frame, capped by Gradishar launching a grand slam to right that left no doubt about the outcome.

Sylvester kept the hit parade going with three hits, while McIntosh, Rouan, and Maddison Sylvester all added multiple hits of their own. Gradishar finished with four RBIs, all coming in that monster first inning.

McIntosh took the ball and followed Strock’s lead—three innings, no hits, no runs, and seven strikeouts. Total dominance.

By the end of the day, Champion outscored Newton Falls 26-0, outhit them 24-0, and didn’t make a single error. Just about everything went right for the Flashes. Next up: Champion hits the road for a Thursday matchup at Berea-Midpark.