Softball | Close call diffuses Aurora's comeback bid against Canfield in district semi

There was plenty of disappointment in Aurora’s softball team losing a 2-1 heartbreaker to red-hot Canfield in the Division II district semifinals in Jefferson on Tuesday, May 17.

The seventh-seeded Greenmen had so many close calls and pivotal plays in the clash at the Jefferson Little League Complex.

Aurora ran into a Canfield club, which has caught fire and eventually won the district championship. The Cardinals have won 11 games in a row and 16 of their last 17 games.

In the bottom of the fifth inning of a scoreless pitchers' duel between senior Greenmen hurler Mackenzie Krafcik and Canfield ace Malena Toth, the Cardinals got what proved to be the eventual game-winner when Jackie Kinnick hit a two-run double just inside the right-field line.

Kinnick took third base on the throw, but the damage was done after Canfield started the fifth with a pair of singles before Krafcik induced a popup.

“That hit was just inches inside the right-field line and we expected Kinnick to bunt in that situation since she had done that quite a few times against us,” said veteran Aurora coach Sam Petrash, whose club lost 5-2 earlier in the year in mid-April to Canfield in a regular-season contest.

“We have to tip our hat to her [Kinnick] — she hit the ball where it was pitched and made us pay,” added Petrash.

“I have to say our situational defense diffused a big inning and [senior] Kayla Ring made a nice pump fake play on their runner on third with only one out,” said Petrash.

Krafcik was dynamite on the mound, but Canfield put together three of their four total hits in that critical fifth inning to end the season for Aurora at 15-8 overall.

Macey Laina got the lead-off single and Bridgett Kelly got on base to set up the heroics by Kinnick.

However, Aurora didn’t back down. Trailing 2-0, the Greenmen stormed back in the seventh inning with some sensational play.

Sophomore standout McKennah Metzger started the seventh with a soft liner that hit Toth in the back, but Metzger was called out at first base on a close call that was questioned by Aurora.

It was a huge play with massive implications.

“The soft line drive off of McKennah’s bat hit the pitcher in the back and rolled over her shoulder behind the mound and Metzger was called out at first, but we felt otherwise, especially after looking at replays,” said Petrash.

Then superb freshman Sophie Retton lined a double into the gap and Ring followed with a line-drive triple to right-center that rolled to the wall.

If Metzger would have been called safe at first, Aurora would have tied up the score 2-2.

“We felt that the game should have been tied with a runner [Ring] at third and one out, and one of our best contact hitters at the plate,” said Petrash.

Toth posted a strikeout right before the Ring triple and then delivered her 13th strikeout to end the game for Canfield (17-5).

“I thought Toth made a nice pitch for third out,” said Petrash. “She has a nasty rise ball that we prepared for. She pounded the inside and that was where we were slow to adjust.”

Then the coach in Petrash came out.

“Bottom line is we had seven innings to make something happen and it took us too long to adjust,” said Petrash. “We have to do a better job as coaches to get our players to make faster adjustments.”

Making adjustments against Toth and her talents have been a task all spring.

With an incredible 45 strikes on 55 pitches, Toth pitched a rare perfect game to win the sectional title over Geneva. She struck out 13 of the 15 batters she faced.

Krafcik showed why she is also one of the top senior hurlers in Ohio.

“That was probably the best game Mac pitched all year,” said Petrash. “We had our game plan and she exercised it flawlessly. She threw the pitch we called on that triple and Kinnick just beat us. She threw lights out.

“Mackenzie threw a lot of drop curves and drops on the outside part of the plate," he added. "It seemed we would get that call. Then we mixed in some changeups when we felt they were becoming overly aggressive. Once we saw them try to adjust, she had the ability to run pitches inside and high to get them to chase. So, she did a great drop of moving it around and changing speeds.

“Our defense did not make an error and executed in situations we needed them to. We did everything we needed to do on that side of the ball to win," said Petrash.

Retton paced the offense with Ring with a single and double. Veteran junior Madison Zdanowicz also had a single for Aurora.

Petrash then started talking about his small, but sensational senior class.

“All three of our seniors are four-year letter winners,” said Petrash. “Kayla Ring has anchored that third base spot since her sophomore year. Ava Ryncarz has done the same in center field. Mackenzie Krafcik was put on the mound her freshman year throwing meaningful games.”

“We do not accomplish our goals without these girls and we are going to miss all of them, yet we wish them a tremendous amount of success as they move on,” said Petrash.

“Krafcik will go on to pitch at Bowling Green. Ryncarz will go to John Carroll to play basketball and Ring will be going to Ohio University. We are proud of all of them.”

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Canfield defeated Aurora in an OHSAA Division II tournament game