Quick start, Staffan power Johnstown into state softball tournament
BUCYRUS ― Dakota Staffan got Johnstown on the scoreboard in the first inning of its Division III regional final Saturday, but she was just getting started.
The powerful senior third baseman followed with two solo home runs, senior ace Macy Walters settled down against hard-hitting Tinora and the Johnnies (26-2) rolled into their second state softball tournament in the past three years, beating the Rams 6-3 at Bucyrus High School.
"It's amazing. We're right back where we were our sophomore year," Staffan said of Johnstown's four seniors, who earned a state semifinal shot in Akron Firestone Stadium at 10 a.m. Thursday against Indian Lake (26-3). "We're there for the third time in our history, and we've been part of two of them."
The Johnnies are 6-0 in regional play, also qualifying for state in 2016, and will be looking to win there for the first time. But first, they had to deal with Tinora, a 2018 state semifinalist, and getting out of the gate quickly certainly helped the cause.
"In our two losses we scored zero runs, and I challenged our offense," first-year coach Mike Justice said. "We wanted to come out in the first inning and put runs on the board, and we did."
Walters and Rams' junior Scylea Zolman both pitched shutouts in regional semifinal wins, but the going got tougher with a state berth on the line.
A first-inning throwing error sent Walters to second, and she scored when Staffan grounded a single to left. She came around to third on senior Addie Triplett's single to right and slid home on classmate Laney Zak's sacrifice fly. Freshman Addy Zak then lifted a double over the left fielder's head, making it 3-0.
"It felt great, because it got our confidence and energy up, and there was less pressure," Staffan said. "But we still had to stay locked in and focused, and go out and try to win every inning like we normally do."
That proved prophetic when Tinora's stellar leadoff hitter, Anna Frazer, beat out an infield single and raced around on freshman Paige Gamby's double to left center, making it 3-1.
Staffan helped re-gain momentum with her first shot over the right field fence in the third inning, and Triplett grew the lead to 5-1 when she walked, stole second, went to third when Addy Zak reached on an error and stole home as Zak was thrown out trying to steal second.
But the Rams' top of the order again proved problematic in their half of the inning. Frazer singled again and scored on Logan McQuillin's double to right center. Gamby then blooped a two-out, two-run single to center, slicing the deficit to 5-3, and Paige Carpenter's hit put runners at second and third. However, Walters got Zoe Roesti to pop out to second, retired the next six batters and kept Tinora in check the rest of the way.
"Tinora came in with a game plan, and they swung the bats," Justice said. "They're a very good team, and they wouldn't be here if they weren't. Macy really battled today."
Walters said she really had to move the ball around. She struck out nine and walked two while yielding seven hits.
"They were ready to swing, and they did a great job with my riseball," she said. "It's my best pitch, so I had to go to my others. With the lead, I was able to attack the zone more and not be afraid of letting them put it in play. I looked to put it on the outside."
Staffan was confident her pitcher would get through it.
"She used all of her pitches, and she was able to control them," she said.
The slugger provided some needed breathing room in the fifth. Her first home run barely cleared the fence, but she deposited the second one well over the 202 sign in nearly the same spot.
"Teams are pitching me inside all of the time, and today, they kept attacking me inside," Staffan said. "I was able to work my hands down in the zone, get some extension and get on top of it."
Justice said hitting the ball with power the opposite way was impressive.
"I've been telling people all year, she's the one girl in our lineup you cannot slip up on," he said. "She stayed back, showed discipline and went with the pitch. Our 2-through-5 hitters are our seniors, and they know what to do."
Walters said Staffan is very hard to pitch to. In her final at bat, Zolman threw nothing but change-ups and finally got her out on a fly to center. She fanned seven but walked five while allowing seven hits. Every Johnnie but one reached and they stole four bases, two by Triplett.
"When Dakota does her thing, it pumps us up and makes us play harder on defense," Walters said. "When she's hot, she can carry us."
Johnstown has proven to be a good mix of veterans and youth, starting two freshmen, a sophomore and two juniors in addition to the seniors. But it will be the seniors who lead them to a state breakthrough.
"We try to show them (the younger players) what to do in certain situations, the best approach in big at bats, and what kind of energy you need," Staffan said.
Justice said they have succeeded with that task.
"They've done a great job of making them comfortable, making sure they're not overwhelmed," he said. "They have not been in this atmosphere."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Quick start, Staffan power Johnstown into state softball tournament
