'It feels amazing to win this game': Firestone tops Ellet in City Series softball final
Firestone seniors Madison Dies, Lauren Toth, Katie Morehouse, Jalynn Milini and Maggie Core entered Monday with a sense of confidence that this would be the year to beat Ellet in the City Series softball postseason championship.
Ellet's reign over the City Series in softball is well documented with wins in every postseason championship from 2001 to 2021, and at least a share of the league's regular season title during each of those seasons, including this season with Firestone.
The two teams ventured to south Akron on Monday for the 2022 installment of the City Series postseason championship and the Falcons earned a 9-2 win at Firestone Stadium.
Firestone (17-4) and Ellet (11-7) shared the league regular season title after each team won on its home field.
Firestone's five senior starters played key roles in Monday's victory as Ellet's run of 20 City Series postseason titles in a row came to a halt.
"We were ready, we were well prepared and we were looking forward to this," said Dies, the winning pitcher who also hit a two-run single in the fourth inning.
"We were preparing for this game the whole season and we really came together."
Dies (13-3) allowed six hits, two runs, one walk and struck out four in a complete-game performance.
"I kept them off balance with my change-up," said Dies, the City Series Player of the Year. "My change-up and my riseball were working really well."
Firestone won the City Series postseason final for the time since May 15, 2000, when Ashley Short, Lauren Fortnoff, Sarah Labovitz, Mindy Stahr and Bridget Seymour led the Falcons to a 3-2 win over Kenmore in eight innings at Firestone Stadium.
None of the Firestone players in uniform Monday were alive in 2000. The majority of this year's seniors were born in 2003.
"It feels amazing to win this game," said Toth, who hit three singles, scored two runs and had an RBI from the leadoff spot
"From the beginning of the season, our practices were 100 percent different than they had ever been. The first few games, we were playing completely different than we ever had before. I knew this was the year that we were going to beat Ellet. The first game against them, we didn't win, but it was only a two-run difference [4-2 on April 20]. The second game we played them we beat them [5-2 on May 2]. We got ahead before they did and it felt really good. Our playing has gotten better throughout the season.
"Our hitting has only increased from the beginning of the season. We left our hearts out there, especially the seniors. It is really sad to be done, but this is probably the best game that we have ever played in our lives."
Dies was also involved in the final out of the game when she fielded a ground ball and made a quick toss over to sophomore first baseman Jordan Williams.
Dies hugged teammates and coaches, including her father, third-base coach Mike Dies.
"I was really excited heading into that last inning," Madison Dies said. "I was trying to keep my composure because I knew we needed three outs. ... I love playing here at Firestone Stadium. It is always fun to play here."
More: Beacon Journal High School Athletes of the Week featuring six Greater Akron area standouts
Firestone scored three runs apiece in the bottom of third, fourth and sixth innings.
"This win feels really good," said Firestone sophomore Anna Morrow, who hit two RBI singles and scored a run.
"I knew we had it in us from the beginning of the season. They beat us at the beginning of the season and we came back and we beat them at home and then in this game."
Morehouse totaled two doubles, an RBI and a run.
"I am so proud of all the hard work that our team has done to get to this point," Morehouse said. "Ever since I was a freshman, my goal was always to try to beat Ellet. I wanted to try to improve my game and improve my mental state to get to that point. This year, we had all of the right elements. We were mentally strong, we were physically strong and we all had really good chemistry with our teammates. All of us get along very, very well and it is like a family atmosphere."
Core hit two singles and scored two runs. Falcons juniors Katie Emery and Ally Shkolnik contributed an RBI double and an RBI single, respectively. Milini singled and scored a run and junior Nerea Alvarez Rua scored a run.
"We kept our energy up the whole time," Core said. "We knew what we needed to do. We have been working hard all season and we came ready."
More: Firestone wins Division I softball sectional semifinal game against Medina
More: Firestone tops Rocky River Magnificat to win Division I softball sectional title
Firestone's season also included a Division I sectional title with wins over Medina and Rocky River Magnificat, and a district semifinal loss to Amherst Steele.
"Our kids believe in each other," said Firestone's Jill Williams, the City Series Coach of the Year.
"We were down 2-0 [Monday], and everybody was still cheering. We had good hits and they were catching the ball in the outfield. We knew it was going to happen, we just didn't know when it was going to happen. When you are hitting the ball to the fence, and we have kids doing a good job of attacking the ball, eventually the hits will fall for you.
"Our kids worked all weekend long on taking extra hitting to get ready for this game. We have a group of seniors that this was their goal for the past three years. They wanted this. I am excited and happy for our players that they achieved this goal. They have worked very hard to get to this place."
Ellet set to return several starters
Ellet graduates senior starters Allie Kramer and Brooke Norman, but is set to return juniors Stephanie Eiseman, Kierstynn Stephanoff and Gabby Cooper, sophomore Emily Kearns and freshmen Rylie Sprouse, Carmen Allen, Sisi Albaugh and Avery Simmons.
"We are a young team, but credit to them," Ellet coach Chuck Shuman said of Firestone. "They put the bat on the ball and they hit the ball hard. When you hit the ball hard in softball, good things are going to happen to you.
"Credit to them for coming back because we did jump on them. We wanted to score first and we did. Credit to them that they came right back and evened things out and then went ahead of us. They did a great job."
Shuman has won 30 City Series postseason final titles since he took over as Ellet’s softball coach in 1985. The Orangemen have also won 32 City Series regular season titles – 21 in a row – under Shuman.
"We will try to start over at ground zero next year," Shuman said. "If our players have the right attitude and come back and work hard, anything can take place."
Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Beaven on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBeavenABJ.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Firestone beats Ellet in City Series softball postseason championship
