Dons look for Class A 3-peat
WHEELING — In the second OVAC Class 1A semifinal game, Madonna proved why it is the No. 1 seed. Katie Gasvoda was brilliant in the circle like she has been all year. She fired 11 strikeouts and secured a no-hitter while Sophia Recrosio hit an inside-the-park home run to apply the mercy rule as Madonna downed Conotton Valley 10-0 Monday night.
The Blue Dons will face St. John in the 1A championship game on Saturday. The Irish defeated Frontier in extra innings, 9-5.
“I thought we hit the ball very well,” Blue Dons coach Chris Conti said. “We made some very good defensive plays (Monday). Katie pitched good, she pitched a very good game. We put the ball in play and we put it in play at the right times.”
The Blue Dons wasted little time as they scored four runs in the first inning. Recrosio walked to lead off followed by a Keara Kush single. After Gianna Mascio walked, Karli Sutton tallied a two-run single to get Madonna on the board. After a couple of errors by the Rockets that resulted in a couple of runs, Kyndsley Hendershot got three straight strikeouts to get her team out of the inning.
Gasvoda matched her as she retired the first four batters she faced including five of the first six.
“I feel like we hit really well,” Gasvoda said. “And we really worked together as a team and that’s what you need to do pull through some of these games.”
The Blue Dons scored four more runs in the fourth inning to increase their lead to 9-0. The Rockets were able to get the first two outs in as many batters, but the bats came to life for the Blue Dons. Mikalya Sole got things going with a hit followed by two straight walks. Mascio tallied an RBI single while Sutton brought home a run with a double.
“We started off kind of slow,” Conotton Valley coach Jay Caldwell said. “We had some fielding errors and our pitcher was right on top of it right off the bat. They scored four runs right in the first inning. Starting in a hole against Madonna is a very difficult thing to pull out of. Their pitcher is pretty on spot. She throws really hard and you don’t get a whole lot of hits on her. You start out in the hole, it’s hard to pull out of it.”
Sutton tallied a single, double and triple and three RBI for the Blue Dons while Sole belted two singles. After having three strikeouts in the first inning, the Blue Dons did not go down swinging or looking for the rest of the game.
When Madonna plays Saturday, they will be playing for its third consecutive championship.
“Jerry (Magistro) is a great coach. I haven’t played them,” Conti said about St. John. “That’s a good coach. They’re a good team. You’re going to have to come here and bring your ‘A’ game.”
Madonna 10, Conotton Valley 0
Conotton Valley 000 000 — 0 0 5
Madonna 410 401 — 10 8 0
CONOTTON VALLEY: Hendershot (LP, 3K, 5W) and Jones.
MADONNA: Gasvoda (WP, 11K, 2W) and J. Kush. Recrosio HR, RBI; Mascio S, RBI; Sutton S, T, D, 3RBI; Sole 2S.
COMMENTS