The Chronicle-Telegram
Bob Daniels
The Chronicle-Telegram
BUCYRUS — Sarah Stromack, playing with the flu, circled the bases, made a diving
catch behind the plate and did just about everything but look sick for
Keystone’s softball team on Wednesday.
The play that saw the junior catcher score behind Erica Reid in the fourth
inning provided the runs Keystone needed for a 2-1 win over Bellevue in a
Division II regional tournament nail-biter at Bucyrus High.
It sent Keystone into the regional title game Saturday against the winner of
today’s semifinal between Lexington and Lima Bath. If Lexington wins, the
Saturday game starts at noon. If it’s Bath, game time is 2:30 p.m. because
Bath’s commencement is at 10:30 a.m.
The Wildcats (29-2) are one step away from their 11th Final Four appearance and
fourth in a row. They won a state championship in 1999. Bellevue leaves the
tournament with a 27-3 record.
“Anytime you got the flu and something like this happens, it makes you feel a
little bit better,” said Keystone coach Jim Piazza, who was also battling the
flu. “What a trouper ‘Stro’ is. She was sick all day yesterday and she’s sick
today and she comes through like that.”
Stromack hit a single with Reid on first, then ran all the way home on an error
after the throw back to the infield.
“To do some of the things she did today was huge,” Piazza said. “That was a
great catch she made there, but I thought, ‘Uh-oh, somebody’s going to see
something ugly.’”
He was referring to the fact that Stromack landed on her queasy stomach diving
for a fouled-off bunt attempt in the fourth. The catch brought Keystone fans to
their feet.
Kristie Malinkey, Keystone’s first-team All-Ohio pitcher, earned her 23rd
victory of the season without a loss. Malinkey, who has often said she’d rather
give up a home run than a walk, gave up one of each – a walk because of a homer.
With the Wildcats seemingly in control 2-0, she surrendered a towering
fence-clearing home run to Bellevue catcher Bessie Artino leading off the fifth.
She went on to strike out seven of the next eight batters, but when Artino went
to the plate with two out in the seventh, Piazza had Malinkey walk her
intentionally.
Keystone fans got nervous when Mary Stephens followed with a single to left
field. But Malinkey struck out Lyndi Johnson on three pitches to end the game.
“Not my call,” Malinkey said of the gopher-ball pitch, which was called by
Piazza. “It was a backdoor screwball. It was outside and everything. It was like
two inches outside, but she went with it.”
To say the least. The blast cleared the fence 210 feet from home plate with
plenty to spare and left an impression on Wildcats right fielder Taylor Bell.
“As soon as I saw it, I said, ‘OK, that’s gone,’” said Bell. “I knew I could
never catch up to it. That was the hardest hit ball I’ve seen this year.”
Malinkey had a perfect game going until Artino unloaded her homer. She finished
with a two-hitter and struck out 17 for the third time since tournament play
began. She also did it against Buckeye last week and Holy Name on Monday. She
has 303 for the season.
Stromack’s winning run around the bases came with two outs and Reid on base
after a fielder’s choice. Stromack hit a clean single into center field and Reid
ran around to third. Piazza, coaching at third, had Reid put on the brakes when
the throw came from the outfield. But Artino’s throw to second in an effort to
nail Stromack went into center field and they both scored.
“‘Stro’ hit the ball and I didn’t know if they caught it or not,” said Reid.
“Coach P stopped me at third, then I ran when I saw the ball go into the
outfield.”
Stromack had a reason for going all out.
“I knew Coach would take me out if he thought I wasn’t trying my hardest and he
definitely knows what my hardest is,” she said. “I knew I had to go all or
nothing. I also knew they were probably going to throw it home if Reid was
going, so I knew I’d at least be safe at second. When they threw to second, I
just watched Coach P and ran.”
Keystone managed just four hits off Bellevue pitcher Katie Yantz. The others
were by Malinkey, center fielder Jessica Burt and Reid.
Keystone
Bellevue
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Dill 3 0 0 0
Rose 3 0 0 0
Malinkey 3 0 1 0
Wilburn 3 0 0 0
Coyne 3 0 0 0
M Drennen 3 0 0 0
Burt 3 0 1 0
Artino 2 1 1 1
Yeo 2 0 0 0
Buckner 0 0 0 0
Reid 3 1 1 0
Nasonti 3 0 1 0
Tygart 0 0 0 0
Stephens 3 0 0 0
Stromack 3 1 1 0
Johnson 2 0 0 0
Piwinski 0 0 0 0
Brumbaugh 2 0 0 0
Jones 3 0 0 0
K Drennen 2 0 0 0
Bell 2 0 0 0
Yantz 0 0 0 0
Slone 0 0 0 0
Totals 25 2 4 0
Totals 23 1 2 1
Keystone 000 200 0 — 2
Bellevue 000 010 0 — 1
HR—Artino. SB—Tygart. S—Yeo. LOB—Keystone 3, Bellevue 2. E—M. Drennen, Artino.
IP H R ER BB SO
Keystone
Malinkey W, 23-0 7 2 1 1 1 17
Bellevue
Yantz L, 16-2 7 4 2 0 0 5