Medina duo too much for Elyria in softball loss

MEDINA — Senior Kylie Hosey and freshman Alexa Kuczkowski proved too much for Elyria on Wednesday. The Medina pitchers combined to toss a no-hitter, as the Bees came away with an 8-1 win in Greater Cleveland Conference play. "It was a rough one and Medina is a very good team, but our girls are capable of so much more than they are giving right now," first-year coach Megan Bashak said. "Yes, they are young and yes, they are still learning, but there's no heart yet. "It's slowly coming and they are starting to see it, but we've got a long ways to go." Hosey started the game and struck out six over three innings, striking out the side in the third inning. Kuczkowski came on in relief to make her first varsity appearance, throwing four innings and allowing an unearned run on two walks. She struck out seven to earn the win. "It's great when you have two different styled pitchers that can come in and do the job," Medina coach Jessica Toocheck said. "(Hosey) started off strong and (Kuczkowski) was able to continue the performance." The game started off promising for the young Pioneers (0-8, 0-4), who have no seniors and only four juniors on the roster, with leadoff hitter Jaidah Gonzalez and Faith Howell getting hit by pitches in the top of the first inning. But Hosey settled in to fan junior Mya St. Peter and sophomore Payton Tackett around catching a pop up from freshman Kloie Troutman. That was the last baserunner for the Pioneers until the top of the sixth inning when ninth batter Jae'Nya Witherspoon snapped a streak of 15 straight retired with a leadoff walk against Kuczkowski and Gonzalez followed with another walk. With one out and the bases loaded, Elyria scratched across a run when Troutman reached on an error to bring in Gonzalez. "We always talk about and we always have to make sure that we keep fighting throughout the game," Gonzalez said. "Otherwise, you just won't be in it at all." The Pioneers were unable to do any more damage after Kuczkowski retired the next two hitters. "They did well that inning, but it was heartbreaking to see that we couldn't get one solid hit," Bashak said. "One solid hit would have scored more than the one little run. Yes, one is better than nothing, but it's frustrating to see that we finally get bases loaded and we can't come through the way I know we can." Defensively, Elyria was hampered by an early big inning as Medina (4-4, 4-1) scored four runs on six hits in the second to take a commanding 5-0 lead. Seniors Lauren Sebring and Meadow Nardone and junior Sommer Ostendorf each had RBIs in the inning, while junior Peyton Pasadyn, sophomore Amelia Cassidy, Ostendorf and Sebring all scored runs. "It always brings it down a little bit (when the other team has a big inning), but we've got to keep our energy up," Gonzalez said. "That's when you've got to make sure you're talking to everybody on the field to make sure their heads are still up." Following the big inning, Tackett settled down in the circle and only allowed a run in the final three innings. The Bees, who snapped a three-game losing streak, were led by Sebring, Melcher and Pasadyn, who all recorded three hits. Sebring also scored three times, while Pasadyn scored twice and Melcher had an RBI. Greater Cleveland Conference Medina 8, Elyria 1 ELYRIA 000 001 0 — 1 0 3 MEDINA 142 100 X — 8 13 2 WP – Alexa Kuczkowski (1-0) 4 innings, 0 hits, 1 run, 0 earned, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts. LP – Payton Tackett 7 innings, 13 hits, 8 runs, 7 earned, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts. Elyria (0-8, 0-5) – Jaidah Gonzalez walk, hit by pitch, run. Medina (4-4, 4-1) – Lauren Sebring 3 singles, 3 runs; Trista Melcher double, 2 singles, RBI; Peyton Pasadyn double, 2 singles, 2 runs; Sommer Ostendorf single, 2 RBIs, run.