No one has been paying much attention to Firelands since the Falcons opened the season with four straight losses.
But while no one was watching, the Falcons won seven of their next eight games, a streak that continued until they ran into West Shore Conference leader Midview on Wednesday. They lost 5-3 and left 11 runners on base.
Coach Judy Dostal’s team got back on track the next day with an 11-1 mercy-rule pasting of Bay as Dana Thoms belted a grand slam. So, having won eight of their last 10, the Falcons are 8-6 heading into the Amherst invitational today at Sliman’s Diamond. The host Comets, Bay and Wellington will also be there.
Along the way, Firelands went undefeated in its pool at the Akron Spring Showcase sponsored by the professional Akron Racers at Firestone Stadium. The two-day event late last month attracted 20 teams competing in five four-team pools.
Firelands defeated Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, 11-1; turned back Division I Kent Roosevelt, 4-1; and mercy-ruled Akron’s Our Lady of the Elms, 14-0. The Falcons trailed Roosevelt 1-0 until catcher Teresa Davis launched a grand slam that became the game-winner.
“The kids played very well and they brought home a trophy about two-and-a-half feet tall,” Dostal said. “They also had a lot of fun. The booster club paid for a motel and we spent the night down there.”
The Falcons are anchored by six seniors who’ve been playing together since they were 7. They are shortstop Erin Phillips, catcher Caitlin Reid, pitchers Thoms and Megan Woodrum, right fielder Sam Miller and first baseman Ashley Wells. They all played well in Akron, Dostal said.
And no opponent has stolen a base on Davis this season.
“Teams don’t even try to steal on her any more,” Dostal said. “As a team, we’re hitting on all cylinders right now. We’re hitting the ball very well and the kids are having some fun.”

Middies lead WSC

Speaking of Midview, the Middies have a two-game lead on North Ridgeville and at least a three-game lead on the rest of the WSC. They meet the second-place Rangers in a big Tuesday afternoon showdown at Midview.
Mike Ives’ team is 14-5 with a shot at winning 20 games for the second time in his three seasons as coach.
The Middies were playing in fast company when they lost. Two of the losses were to Elyria and Keystone, the top-ranked team in Divisions I and II, respectively. The others were to Brunswick, ranked eighth in Division I; seven-time state champion Tallmadge, which is ranked ninth in Division II; and Ashtabula Edgewood, a Final Four team in 2006.
“I think we’re playing well as a team right now,” Ives said. “We’re hitting well and we’re getting some good, timely hits. All three of our pitchers (junior Brittany Stone and freshmen Sydney Mencke and Danielle Herwig) are doing what they’re asked to do. Their pitching is consistent and our defense has been great at times.”
Led by Elizabeth Fazekas, who’s batting .459, the Middies have eight players batting .311 or better. They are Mencke, Mindy Putt, Heather Miller, Courtney Burgess, Stone, Erin Sunagel and Megan Snow. Five Middies have at least one home run. The pitchers have a combined 110 strikeouts. Stone’s ERA is 1.02, Mencke’s 1.26 and Herwig’s 2.33.

What’s that roar?

Lake Ridge won only two softball games last year and has never won a tournament game.
So what’s with the 2008 Lions?
Under coach Jay Messner, the Division IV Lions have already won nine games, one of them over Division I Southview. They didn’t fare quite as well against Admiral King on Thursday, but Messner thinks they have a shot at being seeded in the Division IV sectional-district and might break their 0-for-the-program tournament drought.
“These kids are doing very well and I’m proud of them,” Messner said. “We have a good mix of seniors and younger players. They’re having fun this year.”
Multisport star Alex Hansen is batting close to .600 and Erica Lasky and Emily Kurtz are around .400, Messner said. Pitcher Arissa Wozencraft has 115 strikeouts. Kurtz is The Chronicle’s player of the week.

Top-ranked headliner

Undefeated Elyria, ranked No. 1 in Division I, and Keystone, tops in Division II, will meet at 3 p.m. today at LaGrange Community Park, where the Wildcats are hosting a quad.
In a pair of openers scheduled for 1 p.m., Elyria will meet Columbus DeSales and Keystone will take on Circleville. Keystone defeated Circleville, 7-0, for the D-II state championship in 2006. Kristie Malinkey hurled the first and only perfect game in a softball state final.

Ranger tourney

North Ridgeville is also hosting a quad today on the Rangers’ varsity diamond behind the school.
The 10 a.m. opener should be a good one, with once-beaten Columbia, a hot Division III team, challenging Division I Lorain Admiral King. The host Rangers take on Berea at noon, the two losing teams meet in the 2 p.m. third-place game and the winners tangle for the title at 4.
Contact Bob Daniels at 329-7135 or softball@bobdaniels.info. 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Emily Kurtz, Lake Ridge, shortstop

YEAR: Freshman
LAST WEEK: Kurtz had 13 hits in 21 at-bats, a .619 average for the week. Her hitting spree included five doubles, two triples, a grand slam and a dozen RBIs. She handled 15 chances flawlessly at shortstop.
BIO: Her big week sparked the Lions to four victories in a six-game stretch — and the team won only two games all last season. Kurtz is also on the basketball and soccer teams, and she has been playing the piano for 10 years. She’s a good student and enjoys her biology class. She plays summer softball for coach Gretchen Feiste’s Breakers team in Rocky River.

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