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Hubbard softball wins 2 at West Branch

Correspondent photo / Lowell Spencer Haley Croyle pitches Saturday for Hubbard.

BELOIT — Both the Hubbard and West Branch softball teams have multiple reasons to carry high hopes in the 2021 softball season. Saturday afternoon on the Warriors’ home field, the Eagles won two hard-fought, tournament-type battles, 5-2 and 6-5, in a doubleheader sweep.

The two victories improved the Eagles’ record to 6-3 on the season. The loss dropped the Warriors to 4-4.

Despite having only three seniors on his squad, Hubbard coach Joe Zagorec is challenging his team with tough games against foes like West Branch. The added benefit of having a roster with flexibility is allowing him to rotate players when they suffer injuries or need rest.

“Last night we played Massillon Perry, an excellent big school, and the night before we played Boardman. I think those type of games gets us ready for games like this. They (West Branch) are in our district, and I’m sure we are going to see them down the road,” Zagorec said.

“We have five pitchers on our staff,” he added. “We had some girls in some positions that they have never played before, but they did the job. That is what is great about having a team with the flexibility to step in and do that.”

Correspondent photo / Lowell Spencer Jaci Thomas, right, of West Branch watches a pitch as Hubbard’s Lexi Najdusak prepares to catch the ball.

The Eagles’ pitching staff includes juniors Haley Croyle, Grace Narkum and Gillian Ryser, plus freshmen Bella O’Brien and Phoebe Runsnak.

Hubbard currently has six players hitting over .600 in the early season. Emily Filicky leads the troops with a batting average of over .750.

“We’re definitely very happy to be out here,” Zagorec said after the cancellation of softball in 2020. “Last year we did play some summer ball in the high school leagues, giving our girls the opportunity to play together, and get some reps. They did a lot of work in the offseason and have gotten us ready for this season.”

The Warriors are looking to continue to grow as the three-time defending league champions of both the former Northeastern Buckeye Conference and in 2019 of the Eastern Buckeye Conference. With five senior returners, coach Sis Woods is looking at this group to lead them back again after a year layoff.

“This (game) shows you what you need to work on and see how we do fighting back. Coming back from this. I think we are going to be OK, we just need to start to put things together. We’re not jelling together as a team yet. Missing a year hurts, but everybody missed a year,” Woods said.

The Warriors will be counting on senior pitcher Jordan Anderson to lead them in the circle this year with junior Ryley Pittman providing depth. They will also look for Anderson to help at the plate, along with junior shortstop Sydney Mercer.

“We started out OK, but the competition wasn’t as good (as Hubbard),” Woods said. “So I think this is going to help as far as showing where we are at. We can hit one through nine, it’s just getting the confidence. We need to get our confidence back. When that comes, we are going to be OK.”

In the first game of the afternoon, the Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead courtesy of a two-run double by Sydney Bowser in the first inning. They added three more runs in the third inning on a three-run homer by starting pitcher Croyle.

Croyle pitched just four innings as she twisted her ankle when the Warriors scored their first run on a passed ball. O’Brien pitched the final three frames, surrendering just one more run in the seventh.

“She (Croyle) ended up getting hurt on a play at the plate on a passed ball. I really thought that would change the momentum of the game, but our girls stepped up as a team and we were able to get the job done,” Zagorec said.

It was Croyle’s bat that provided the game-winning runs, along with a big dose of momentum.

“That was big. Every run means something, it was a close first game and a close second game, so every run counts,” Zagorec said.

In the nightcap, the Eagles broke open a 3-3 tie in the fifth inning when they plated three runs, thanks to a two-out double by second baseman Narkum. They then added two additional runs in the inning on consecutive Warrior throwing errors.

West Branch’s Anderson blasted a two-run home run in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 5-4, giving them a chance to split the twin bill. But O’Brien struck out three of the last four batters to seal the double victory.

“We didn’t quit, but we had a couple of bad innings,” Woods said. “You just can’t have that against a good team. Both of the pitchers pitched well. But we are a much better hitting team than we did today. What it came down to was the first inning, the first game, that came back to hurt us. And then the same here (second game) we gave up three runs in one inning.”

The Eagles are back in action Monday afternoon when they travel to Girard in Northeast-8 play. The Warriors return to the diamond Tuesday when they host Canton South in EBC action.

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