AKRON — Warren Champion stayed undefeated with a 9-4 victory over Cardington in the state softball Division III championship game here Saturday night.
The Lady Pirates led 1-0 in the first inning thanks to an error, two singles and a walk. That lead held up until the fifth inning.
However, Champion showed why it is the defending state champion by coming back with a big fifth inning. Two runs made it 3-1 before the game was put out of reach when Champion’s Emma Gumont hit a grand slam home run to make it 7-1 after five.
Cardington added a run in the sixth and Champion (31-0) added two more in the seventh.
The Lady Pirates finish the season at 26-4 and got to the title game with a 10-0 run-rule victory over Buckeye Trail in five innings Friday night at Akron’s Firestone Stadium.
More online and in Wednesday’s print edition.