High school softball: Offense saves day for Elyria Catholic against Elyria in overall sloppy game

ELYRIA — It took a lot of extra work and two-and-a-half hours, but Elyria softball bragging rights currently reside on Poplar Street. Elyria Catholic and Elyria combined for 14 errors and 27 hits before the Panthers held on for an 18-14 non-conference win Saturday afternoon. Elyria Catholic (5-3) committed eight of those errors but its 2-3-4 hitters made up for all the problems in the field. Freshman Lillian Ciryak went 4-for-5 with five runs scored and an RBI, Savannah Dixon was 2-for-5 with four runs and three RBIs and cleanup hitter Hannah Brooks was 4-for-5, including her sixth home run of the year, with three runs scored and a career-high seven RBIs. "Our 2-3-4 hitters have been hot," EC coach Terrel Dixon said. "Lilly, as a freshman, has been coming into her own, getting on base consistently. Savannah and Hannah have been doing this for us all year. This was an unclean game on both sides. We were just fortunate enough to have more hits and come out on top." Elyria (4-5) briefly led 1-0 after the top of the first when Natalie Tackett doubled to drive home Kloie Trouman, who reached on an error, but it was all Elyria Catholic over the next three innings with 13 hits to go with four Pioneer errors. Ciryak singled and a scored on a Dixon double down the line in right, Brooks dove home a run with a hit and two more came home on a Harper Morgan hit and a Gia Manley double for a 4-1 lead. Elyria got two back in the second, but the Panthers added three more in their half of the inning. Dixon drove in two with a single and Brooks laced a double down the line in left to make it 7-3. The Pioneers kept coming back, scoring three in the third as Troutman came home onn an error, Serena Randalle drove in Tackett on a ground ball that was misplayed and the same happened again on a ball put in play by Kennedy Smith. All those good comeback feelings went away in the bottom of the third when Natalie Saddler had a one-out single and scored on a Ciryak double. Dixon was intentionally walked to try to get a force at any base, but Brooks killed that strategy with a towering grand slam to center field for a 12-6 lead. "Everyone on these two teams are super-competitive and wants to win this game," Brooks said. "The errors were just weird and kind of shocking for us. I know we're a better team than that. Our errors were kind of silly at times." "I know if I get on base, they (Dixon and Brooks) are going to hit me in," Ciryak said. "I know I can count on them. We feel pretty good about ourselves when we can get on base and force the issue with the other team." EC stayed in control going to the seventh inning, but Elyria didn't go down without a fight. Morgan started the inning with a pair of strikeouts, but the next five Pioneers reached base. Morgan Palos (3-for-5, 3 stolen bases) doubled, Sarah Manning walked, Troutman was hit by a pitch, Natalie Tackett drove in one run with a single and a second came home on a throwing error, two more came home on a dribbler back to the mound and the short toss to first was dropped, cutting the lead to 18-14. Morgan stopped the threat with a strikeout to end the game. "That first half of their lineup is phenomenal," Pioneers coach Megan Bashak said. "Yes, we have players out of position because of an injury (starting catcher Alliyah Alberto), but at the end of the day we have to make plays no matter where we are at on the field. We still have to play despite our errors. Those lead to runs and good teams like that are going to capitalize." Contact James Brady at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.