Staff photo / Brian Yauger Crestview sophomore Lilly Beaver pitches during Tuesday’s road game against Champion.

CHAMPION — With a young team, Crestview softball coach Melvin Miller expected some growing pains. Especially as the Rebels get into the meat of their schedule.

Those pains continued on Tuesday as the Rebels fell, 12-2, to Champion in the team’s fourth-straight defeat.

“We’ve just got to make some adjustments as far as how we’re hitting the ball, seeing better pitching,” Miller said. “We’re young, going through a little bit of growing pains. Same (in the circle). Young pitchers that have to keep putting in the work to get better.

“Champion sets the bar. That’s what everybody’s trying to be. They’re good every year. Every four years, a new pitcher comes in, and it’s like, ‘Here we go (again).'”

Champion started piling the runs on early, rounding home four times in the opening inning.

Sophomores Jonna Strock and Josie Perhach were a one-two punch on Tuesday, as Perhach scored Strock twice in the first two innings. Perhach finished with four RBIs.

Flashes pitcher Carly Dyer faced a bases-loaded situation in the third inning after a pair of walks. Champion coach Cheryl Weaver allowed her freshman to work through it and the Flashes escaped the inning unscathed.

“That’s only going to make her stronger as a pitcher,” Weaver said. “Believe in your pitches, don’t try to place them. Believe in your pitches. They’ll go where you want them to go. You think about the different things. ‘How is this? Am I doing it right?’

“It’s been a long time since I had to work with pitchers, but she’s a good kid, and she gives you all she’s got.”

Ava Sylvester also made multiple run-saving catches at third base.

“Ava’s at that hot corner, and she’s done a good job,” Weaver said. “She caught that one and that other one that was a shot right at her. I think it kind of surprised her, but that’s going to happen. She’s the best third baseman we’ve got, and that’s why you need a good one. She’s got such a strong arm, getting those girls on bunts, and that’s what you need.”

Crestview (7-5, 6-4) got its runs in the fourth inning after a hit by sophomore Alivia Shetler.

Going against Champion is a tough match for any team, let alone a young one. In those tough matchups, Miller is looking less at the result and more at how his group handles the adversity.

“I want them to not get defeated,” Miller said. “They’ve got to still be able to respond and come back tomorrow, stay knitted, glued together as a team, not finger-pointing or anything like that. Make sure we’re staying as a unit and playing well together. You just gotta say ‘OK, so maybe this didn’t work today, but tomorrow, I got to come and work on this and be better at it.'”

Crestview looks to snap its skid today on the road against Lisbon.

The Flashes (6-4, 5-1) face Ravenna Southeast on Thursday. They’ll finish a suspended game before playing their second match of the season.