Maplewood softball headed to state championship
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AKRON -- After spending nearly all of its regional final contest trailing, Maplewood wanted to set the tone Thursday.
The Rockets did that with three runs in the first inning and let pitcher Addison Marker cut down the opposition throughout as they down Southeastern 4-0 to punch their ticket to the state championship game.
"We knew we were going to have a tough game, especially offensively," Maplewood coach Jessica Urchek said. "Their pitcher and catcher are phenomenal. They're both seniors, both bring a lot of experience to the mound, and they're both going to play in college next year, so that was a huge challenge for us coming into this game. I thought I had the perfect mix of players. I have three seniors, five juniors, six sophomores.
"The seniors, it could potentially be their last game, and with that brings a lot of nerves, but that youth, the eagerness, really brings a lot to the game, because they weren't ready to be done yet. They don't know what this is about, and they know they have more games to play."
The first inning became a statement by the Rockets. After getting on via a hit-by-pitch, Marker scored from first, following a throwing error from the Trojans on a bunt by Lexi Yannucci. The throwing error allowed Yannucci to reach third, and she was brought home two batters later by Samantha Krieg.
Aleesia Woomer capped off the inning with a single to left field that scored Krieg.
"We concentrated a lot on small ball. I knew I was going to need to bunt a lot," Urchek said. "I'm a fan of small ball. Even after our last game, people told me I needed to bunt more. Obviously, putting those first three runs on the board definitely relieved our nerves, brought a lot more energy to the dugout."
It doesn't hurt having Marker in the circle as well. As has been the case all season, the moment wasn't too big for the Rockets' sophomore ace, who sat down 13 while surrendering just two hits and no walks.
"I just try to have a lot of confidence," Marker said. "I know my team relies on me as much as I rely on them, like my defense, and my biggest thing is just to have confidence on the mound. Just because they're older doesn't mean they're not another batter. Next pitch, I just go out there and just try my best, that's all I can do."
From that point on, the Rockets' confidence on the field was unshakable. They're no strangers to playing with a lead and are just as accustomed to holding teams off the scoresheet. Thursday's win was the team's 16th shutout of the season.
"Addie was phenomenal in the circle, never got down, really took care of their third and fourth batters. We knew that's who we were going to be worried about," Urchek said. "Altogether, we played really clean defense. Maybe a few blunders, but not really errors. It was a total team effort, one through nine, so that's great to see from any coach on any team."
Following Maplewood's initial surge, the teams traded three outs back and forth until the bottom of the sixth, when Woomer iced the game with a home run deep into left field. Woomer led the team with a pair of hits and RBIs.
Urchek is the lone link to 2005's state-qualifying squad, and she noted how much things have changed since the program's last trip.
"It was in Ashland (my first time), so the atmosphere wasn't nearly as great as it is here," Urchek said. "I think when you come here, you get a little taste of what it's like playing on the big stage versus just playing on some old dirt field. This environment is great, the music is great, the coordination by the OHSAA was top-notch. They guided a first-time coach the whole way."
The Rockets (28-2) will play for their first softball state championship tonight at 8 p.m. against Portsmouth Notre Dame.
"We just need to keep bringing the energy, keep bringing the fight. I feel like that's been our motto this year," Urchek said. "We have a lot of heart, even when we're down, we're still battling.
"I think it stems from starting with three injured players, and they showed up every single day. That last sub you saw me put in the game, Ava Calvert, she just got released (to play) on Monday. She's my starting center fielder most years, but not this year. I think they just saw the heart from (the injured players), and they let it inspire them to play for bigger things."