NORTH CANTON — You’ll be hard-pressed to find a high school conference with more close games and drama on a nightly basis than the Federal League. Lake and Hoover provided another example of that in a rescheduled game on Thursday, April 9, at Goodpasture Stadium.
The Blue Streaks (4-3, 3-2) used a two-run top of the seventh to give the Vikings (3-6, 3-1) their first loss in league play this season. Olivia Draher tied the score with an RBI single with the bases loaded and no outs and Makenna Miller drove in the go-ahead run in the next at-bat. It was the first win for Lake at Hoover in recent memory.
“This was a big one for the girls,” Lake coach Grace Franjesevic said. “One of the seniors came up to me after the game and told me this is the first time she has been a part of a win on this field. The kids showed a lot of heart and a lot of fight today.”
Watch Ohio High School Sports Live on NFHS Network all year
Few showed more than Draher and Miller. Draher was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs while Miller was 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
“They are a huge part of this program,” Franjesevic said. “They are not only great players but important leaders for us. They set a great example for the younger kids.”
Miller and Draher are key cogs in a versatile lineup that should keep Lake in every game this season. The elite speed of leadoff hitter Mikayla Props and number two hitter Aubrey Eisele complicates matters for opponents. Props and Eisele hit for a high average and often find themselves on base with Draher or Miller at the plate applying extra pressure to opposing pitchers.
“We are very motivated as a team right now,” Miller said. “I think this is a really big win for us. We wanted to show that we could win away from home, and this feels good. It shows that hard work pays off. I was just trying to do my part today and contribute what I could to the effort. This was a team win. We had a bunch of girls that made little contributions and those added up to a win.”
The loss ended a frustrating day for Hoover. The Vikings lost their fifth consecutive game after going 0-4 over spring break against extremely difficult competition (Lebanon, Little Miami, Lakota West) last week.
“I really thought we had put all of that behind us,” Hoover coach Scott Snyder said. “I felt good coming into the game. We had three good days of practice. I really thought we had righted the ship.”
A tough day in the field hurt Hoover. The Vikings had six errors. Some of the plays were difficult, but that was of little consolation to Hoover.
“We just aren’t going to win many close games if we put ourselves in position to have that many errors,” Snyder said. “We have to be able to field the ball. The teams in this league are too good to come out and do that and expect to have any chance to win.”
The loss spoiled a sensational afternoon by Hoover third baseman Lucia Granito, who was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs and also had two nice plays in the field. Granito caught a low, soft line drive just above her shoe laces early in the game and then turned an unassisted double play with no outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning after catching a hard line drive.
“Lucia is having a great season for us,” Snyder said. “She’s hitting for a high average and has been awesome in the field. I can’t say enough about what she has done early in the year.”
Reach Cliff at cliff.hickman@cantonrep.com
On X: @chickmanREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Lake softball stuns Hoover late for key Federal League win
Reporting by Cliff Hickman, Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
