Canfield Defeats Howland 4-2 to Continue its Winning Ways

Canfield’s offence stalled after a four-run surge in the first inning as Howland pitcher Brooke Tatar settled into a rhythm. Luckily for the Cardinals, Canfield defeated its All-American Conference foe 4-2 at McCune Park on Monday, despite Howland’s numerous opportunities at bat.

Malena Toth of Canfield worked through multiple half innings in the circle, throwing 138 pitches. In the top of the seventh, Toth walked in two unearned runs after a double and an error loaded the bases. But with the bases still loaded, Toth forced a groundout to first on the opening pitch of the eighth at-bat of the inning, preserving Canfield’s ninth straight win.

Canfield’s head coach, Michael Kernan, claimed after the game that his team’s lack of intensity came from their early-season domination. The club had taken a 4-0 lead in the first inning.

The Cardinals took an early lead when Marina Koenig launched a leadoff home run in the first inning, following Toth’s double play that left two Howland runners stranded. After Toth singled and Jenna Triveri scored on an error, Triveri singled to centre. Sydney Lutz’s RBI single and Caylee Ortiz’s RBI double with two outs gave Canfield two more runs.

The Cardinals’ prowess at bat came to an end in the first inning, which featured seven hits and four runs scored. Tatar came up with a strong response in the second inning and continued to play effectively the rest of the way, giving up just three hits and no runs after the first.

Nicole Wayt, the head coach of Howland, stated that she understood it was unnecessary to address Tatar after her difficult first inning in the circle, so she refrained from doing so.

Kernan also praised Tatar’s substitution, saying Canfield was taken aback by it.

Tatar pitched well in the circle, but for the most duration of the game, the Tigers’ hitters were unable to provide her with enough run support. Howland managed to get runners on base, recording six hits and drawing five walks, but all of the orange-clad runners were left stranded throughout the first six innings.

Howland loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning when Tatar and Alyssa Massucci doubled and Madison Schmitz reached base on an infield error. Howland needed at least four runs to advance to the bottom of the inning. With her eleventh strikeout of the contest, Toth pulled one run shy of the shutout victory, but Howland’s first runs of the contest and a genuine chance for a thrilling comeback were given to them by back-to-back walks.

After calling a timeout and conferring with his great pitcher and defence, Kernan expressed his confidence that the Cardinals would win. And they succeeded in doing so when Ansel grounded out to first baseman Macey Kalina after jumping on the opening pitch of her at-bat. This marked the game’s last out.

Canfield, recognised as the top Division II softball team in the state by the Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association, is now 9-1 on the season after winning against Austintown Fitch in the season’s first game. It is only the third game this season that Canfield has won without winning by ten or more runs. On Monday, they defeated Howland.

Today is Howland’s chance to exact revenge on Canfield. The next game between the Cardinals and Tigers is scheduled for Howland at 5 p.m.