Champion lineup overpowers Brookfield in MVAC bout
Apr. 13—BROOKFIELD — The Champion softball team came into Brookfield on Thursday averaging 11.1 runs per game. And it didn't take long for the Golden Flashes to show that offensive talent.
The Golden Flashes scored in every inning of a five-frame 18-1 victory over Brookfield at Brookfield Community Park.
The win put Champion in the driver's seat for the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Tier.
Champion (7-0 MVAC Grey, 10-1) got a leadoff home run from Gabrielle Gradishar in the top of the first. Later in the inning, Isabella Meyer singled to center and eventually scored on Olivia Gray's double to the left-center field gap. A two-run home run to left from Abigail Meadors put the Golden Flashes ahead 4-0.
"That's why the program and coach (Cheryl) Weaver and the girls who come through that program are the best around," Brookfield head coach David DeJoy said. "They do it year after year. They took it to us in that first inning, and it just snowballed from there."
The Warriors (6-1 MVAC Grey, 9-2) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first. But Gradishar struck out Cadence Hoffman and Jenae Pugh to end the threat.
Gradishar and Meyer singled in the second inning, and both scored on a two-out double to left from Addison Warzala.
Another five-run inning in the third pushed the Champion lead to 11-0.
Meadors singled to center and Madison Ziegler bunted to reach base. Gradishar was intentionally walked, but Morgan Davis hit a no-doubt grand slam to center. Meyer doubled off the third base bag in the next at-bat and scored on a single from Warzala to left.
Brookfield got on the board in the home half of the third. Abby DeJoy drew a two-out walk, and following a single from Arianna Jones, scored on a throwing error.
In the fourth, Hailey Householder reached via an error by the Warriors, Ziegler singled to center and Maddison Sylvester got on by a fielder's choice. Gradishar doubled in Householder and Ziegler, and Sylvester scored on a sacrifice fly to left from Davis to make it 14-1.
Meadors led off the fifth with a solo home run to center. Householder drew a walk, and Sylvester reached via a fielding error. A three-run homer from Gradishar — her second of the day — bumped the lead to 18-1.
"Each inning, whether it was a fielding mistake or a base running mistake, some communication breakdowns, and each time it cost us," David DeJoy said. "If my stats are right, they scored 13 runs with two outs today. So we just couldn't get out of the innings in time, and they punished us for it."
Gradishar earned the win for Champion. She allowed one unearned run on three hits and a walk. The sophomore struck out nine in a complete game. Offensively, she finished 4 for 4 with six RBIs and four runs scored. She reached base every inning.
Davis went 2 for 4 with five RBIs and a run scored, Meadors was 4 for 4 with three driven in and two runs scored and Warzala finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs. Meyer was 4 for 5 and scored thrice.
Miranda Nicholson took the loss in a three-inning outing. She surrendered 10 runs on 13 hits and pair of walks. Riley Burdge come on in relief and gave up seven runs — three earned — via seven hits and a walk in two innings.
Sophia Hook, Katie Logan and Arianna Jones all went 1 for 3 at the plate for the Warriors.
The Warriors will needed to refocus for today's game. They will travel to Champion to wrap up the season series.
"We have to find a way to reset quickly and somehow compartmentalize what we did tonight, learn from our mistakes and try to play better tomorrow," David DeJoy said. "I just told the girls get some rest tonight, try to mentally reset and let's go back at it tomorrow with a fresh mentality and a fresh game."
