Tag Archive for: softball

HOWELL SWEET IT IS

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WARREN OH- When you’re talking about the Champion softball program, the first thing that comes to you mind is the one two punch the Flashes have in the circle. One of those punches comes from senior Sophie Howell. On her own, Sophie is one of the best pitchers in the area, paired with fellow senior Allison Smith, she becomes the most lethal pitcher you’ll find in the area. What makes Howell so electric is her ability to throw a riseball at all three levels with pin point accuracy. With someone like Smith backing her up, there is no pressure for her to be great every time out.

Howell has a career ERA of 1.05. And her strikeout total is at 386. Those numbers have helped her and her program win three consecutive state championships, and if it weren’t for COVID-19 putting an end to the 2020 season they’d be favorites to win a fourth. Sophie was part of a pitching staff that gave up no runs in the tournament last season. She says that success comes from the looseness of the team. They dominate people, and have fun doing it. Howell is still out staying in shape as she prepares to move on to play softball at Youngstown State next season.

Anthony Hartwig got a chance to talk to Sophie through video conference. They discussed the success of Champion softball, her favorite off field memories, and much more. Go deeper into Champion softball with the first Golden Flashes Player Profile “Howell Sweet It Is”

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfWD_j4z9HU[/embedyt]

THE EMERGENCE OF EMMA

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YOUNGSTOWN OH- Ursuline softball senior Emma Ericson has slowly been developing her leadership skills. Entering her senior season Emma was ready to lead her Irish to another impressive season. Coming off a year where the Irish came so close to a district championship, everyone was hungry to get back to work.

Emma has seen her confidence grow on the field over the years. She remember a specific game her sophomore year while in the circle coach Kernan came out to talk to her. She told him she needed to stay in and finish the game, she knew she could. That’s exactly what she did. She says that is the moment when her confidence started to grow as a player. She planned to work harder than anyone this season, and lead her team by example. Unfortunately the COVID-19 pandemic has ended the 2020 season. This setback hasn’t stopped Ericson from looking to the future. She plans to attend Youngstown State after graduating from Ursuline. With new found confidence from the softball diamond, she is sure to fantastic things.

Anthony Hartwig got a chance to talk to Emma through video chat. They discussed her reaction to the season’s fate, the team’s community outreach, and much more. Get great insight into Ursuline softball with the latest Player Profile “The Emergence Of Emma”

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldDWG_mylm8[/embedyt]

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

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YOUNGSTOWN OH- Mooney Senior CJ Sapp already has to come with grips of not playing softball in her senior season before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. CJ tore her ACL in a basketball game against Boardman in December. What she didn’t come to grips with however, is losing the ability to help her teammates reach their goals in her favorite sport, softball.

From a young age CJ fell in love with the game of softball. The community, and team mentality of the sport made her keep coming back. Her dad coached her in her youth and her abilities grew. Sapp slowly but surely became a excellent athlete. Now with the COVID-19 virus, she has been stripped of her last experiences with her teammates. She won’t be able to see them shine, or accomplish their goals.

CJ also excels in other sports. In volleyball Sapp defends the back row as the Cardinals libero, and statistically one of the best liberos in the area. She earned first team all YSN honors in volleyball. Moving on to basketball she is a great leader on the court, and the team missed her in their last couple months of the season. However, they got to show their appreciation by having CJ do the jumpball to start the game on Senior Night. Which ironically enough was against Boardman. She wouldn’t have played softball this year at the Field of Dreams, but she would have been there for every up and down her team went through, just for the love of the game.

Anthony Hartwig got a chance to talk to CJ through video chat. They discuss her recovery, her love of softball, and much more. Get to know the great Mooney senior in the latest softball player profile “For the Love of The Game.”

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbelDhHkW6E[/embedyt]

ITS ALL ADDING UP FOR ADLER

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HUBBARD OH- One is the best measurements of a leader is how their program looks when they leave. When you’re talking about Hubbard, every program that Jackie Adler has led is looking promising. Golf found success in Districts, the basketball team found some stability, and the softball team coming off a 14 win season looked to be a dark horse in the NE8. Softball season may have been taken away by COVID-19, but Jackie is confident that the team is set up for future success.

In softball last season, Adler was a consistent threat in the Eagles lineup. She hit .397 at the plate. But her biggest strength was her defense. Not only was she a fantastic leader in the middle of the infield, but she only committed 2 errors all season. Adler wasn’t satisfied though, as she set the goal this year to not commit any errors in the field, and she wanted to push that batting average up above .400. Adler is always looking to make herself better, which is one of the things that makes her a leader.

Jackie has commuted to Otterbein University to golf at the next level. She thrives on the ability to compete not just with the rest of the field, but herself. Always trying to one up her best score. Golf is one of the most lucrative sports a girl can go to college for, and Adler is finding success on the green. Her future plans are all adding up, while her golf stroke keeps going down.

Anthony Hartwig has the chance to catch up with Jackie. They talked about being a three sport athlete, golf recruiting, and much more. Don’t miss out on the latest Eagle Softball Player Profile “It’s All Adding Up For Adler.”

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh6nxe_5JvQ[/embedyt]

MICKEY BRINGS THE MAGIC

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AUSTINTOWN OH- Austintown Fitch softball is coming off their first AAC title in quite a while. The Falcon roster is loaded with talent, and leadership. A player who contains both of those attributes is Senior Ashley Mickey. Mickey has a fantastic junior season helping her team to one of the best seasons the program has had.

In 2019 Mickey hit at a clip of .340 with an on base percentage of .365. As a 2nd basemen, Mickey only made one error all season. That contributed to a solid team fielding percentage of .980. Coach Ward says that while Mickey might be quiet overall, she always manages to come in with a perfectly timed joke to loosen up a room. He also raved about her ability to move positions to help her team. She was a shortstop her sophomore year and moved over to 2nd to fill a larger team need in her junior campaign.

Anthony Hartwig got a chance to talk to Ashley through video chat. They discuss her reaction to the fate of the 2020 season, her favorite memories with the team, and much more. Get a look inside the Falcon’s Nest with the latest softball player profile “Mickey Brings The Magic”.

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu2bcM335Qg[/embedyt]

AMAZING GRACE

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WARREN OH- Champion softball has been nothing but dominant over the last three seasons. The senior class of 2020 has a lot to do with the Golden Flashes success. Abbi Grace is one of those seniors looking for her fourth straight state championship. Unfortunately COVID-19 has put a stop to the 2020 season. The seniors of Champion won’t be able to compete for their four peat, but they’re still doing all they can to see the program win again in 2021.

Abbi Grace puts a lot of importance on helping the young players in the Champion program grow. From meeting the young kids after winning a state championship and signing softballs for them, to giving words of encouragement to the underclassmen. Grace continues to find ways with her fellow seniors to propel the program forward.

As far as her playing career, Abbi has been quite impressive. In 95 games played in the purple and gold, Grace has accumulated a .399 batting average. Her strength was in the field. As a catcher, she has a career fielding percentage of .933, and only committed 5 errors in her entire career. Grace was also never caught stealing in her career, with a perfect 18/18 mark.

Anthony Hartwig had the opportunity to catch up with Abbi via video chat. They discussed her team off the field, building the program’s future, and much more. Learn about another fantastic Golden Flashes senior in the latest Player Profile “Amazing Grace.”

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 [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OskLGipZCw8[/embedyt]

TAYLORED FOR GREATNESS

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COLUMBIANA OH- Crestview Softball Senior Taylor Mellington was hungry to get back on the field after the history making season the team had last season. The Rebels won more games than any other team in their program’s history, and came just 1 run short of the district championship.

COVID-19 has officially put a stop to the 2020 spring sports season. This means that Mellington, along with so many seniors in the area have laced it up for their high school’s team for the last time. Taylor says if she knew last year would have been her last season, she would have spent more time taking it in. A lot of seniors can share that sentiment.

Taylor is taking the news with stride though as she focuses on taking care of her horses, and spending time with family. Growing up with animals has led to a passion for veterinary medicine and that’s what Taylor hopes to study at Youngstown State. She also plans to try out for the Penguins softball team, so she’ll still be working on her softball skills as the summer rolls along. Coach Eskra says that Mellington is a great utility player he can trust anywhere on the field. This will surely make her a formidable prospect at the next level.

Anthony Hartwig got the chance to talk with Taylor via video chat to discuss her career. They also talk about her reaction to the fate of spring sports, her relationship with Coach Eskra, and much more. Learn everything you need to know about Crestview Senior Taylor Mellington in the latest Rebel Softball Player Profile “Taylored For Greatness”

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MASTER IN THE CIRCLE: ALLISON SMITH

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WARREN OH- Allison Smith has become a household name in the area. Just one look at her career numbers at Champion and there’s no question why. With a career ERA of 0.48, and 458 strikeouts Smith has been virtually untouchable in the circle. In fact, her career opposing batting average is just .122. However, Smith doesn’t stop with impressive numbers hurling the ball, she is also a pitcher who can rake. Her career batting average is .500, with 51 HR’s and 162 RBI.

These numbers have caught the eye of many college coaches, but none of them could compete with the home state Buckeyes. Smith is signed to pitch for Ohio State next season. She says she can’t wait to be a part of the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry and give Hall Of Fame Head coach of the Wolverines Carol Hutchins some problems the next four years.

Anthony Hartwig got the chance to talk with the Champion ace via video chat. They discussed winning three straight state titles, her recruiting process, and much more. Dive in to this exclusive interview with one of the area’s premiere softball stars in the latest Golden Flashes Player Profile “Master In The Circle: Allison Smith”

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NOTHING BUT K’S FOR KAILI

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POLAND OH- It did not take long for Poland softball fans to realize that Kaili Gross was a strong performer in the circle. She may have only been eligible for twelve games last season, but in those twelve games she shined. Kaili appeared in the circle in nine of her twelve games played. She went 6-0 with an ERA of 0.78. She tallied 49 strike outs while walking just 3 hitters. At the plate, she hit .537 and knocked in 25 RBI.

Everyone in Bulldog nation was looking forward to seeing Kaili have a full season at Poland. Unfortunately COVID-19 has shut down the 2020 spring sports season. Kaili while disappointed is trying her best to take in stride. She’s staying up on her studies and preparing to graduate later this spring. She also has to stay in softball shape as she prepares to play at the next level. Kaili is signed to continue her softball career at Case Western Reserve. She has taken advice from countless people on how to prepare for the demands of the next level. She has one of the best mentors you could ask for in that department with Erin Gabriel. Kaili looks forward to getting back on the softball field as soon as possible.

Anthony Hartwig got a chance to catch up with Kaili through video chat. They discuss her reaction to COVID-19, lessons learned over the years at Poland, and much more. Make sure you don’t miss this Poland Softball player profile “Nothing But K’s For Kaili”

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AUSTINTOWN FITCH SOFTBALL COACH’S CORNER (EPISODE 1 WITH STEVE WARD)

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AUSTINTOWN OH- Austintown Fitch Softball is coming off their first AAC title in 19 seasons. The target is now placed solidly on the Falcon’s back as the team to beat in the conference. Head Coach Steve Ward isn’t worried about that though, he says last year’s team is left in last year. They are embracing the “new season, new team” mentality. As far as this team goes they are packed with talent. What they lack is experience. They have three players who have strong shots at playing in division 1 at the next level. Coach Ward aye they will miss the preseason scrimmages that would have been used to get his mostly young team ready for high level play. Now because of COVID-19 if there is a season, it will hit the ground running in May. Coach Ward is doing everything he can to keep his team engaged and ready to go if 2020 opening day comes.

Anthony Hartwig got a hold of Coach Ward to talk some Falcon softball. They discuss the team’s mentality, the talent level on the roster, and much more. Get your fix of Falcon softball with Episode 1 of Coach’s Corner with Steve Ward.