OHSAA softball: Teays Valley's wild win highlights central Ohio Division I district finals
Avery Stratton admitted she didn’t know what kind of game to expect when Teays Valley faced Marysville in one of four Division I softball district finals Saturday at Pickerington Central.
The freshman pitcher and outfielder certainly did not expect to hit the championship-winning home run in extra innings, blasting an inside fastball over the left field fence in the top of the eighth as the seventh-seeded Vikings fended off No. 6 Marysville 8-7.
It was Stratton’s third hit of the day and only her second home run of the year, but it was enough to send Teays Valley (20-7) to its first district championship since 2018 and a regional semifinal Wednesday at Big Walnut against Lancaster.
“I was just trying to provide for my team and get on base,” Stratton said. “It felt pretty good coming off the bat. I felt calm. I felt good. Being a freshman on varsity, it feels really awesome to help us win district.”
An 11-hit onslaught, with two each from Alyvia Lawrentz and Micah Mann, helped lift the Vikings in a game it appeared they might have won in regulation.
Marysville (17-9) erased two three-run deficits as it fell short of a third consecutive district title, taking a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the sixth on junior shortstop Sienna Hutchins’ grand slam to left. The Monarchs scored all of their runs with two outs.
Teays Valley, which also took a 4-1 lead when Morgan Cantrell homered on the first pitch of the top of the fifth, tied it in the seventh when Avery Mann grounded out to first base. Isabel Sayre scored the tying run and Abbi Revalee followed close behind when Cam Harbold’s throw home appeared to get away from catcher Lauren Mobley, but Revalee was called out for interference and ejected.
Marysville got the winning run to second in the bottom of the inning, but Aimee DeWeese induced two groundouts to force extra innings.
Three Teays Valley pitchers struck out 13, walked two and allowed 12 hits.
“The girls stuck together,” Vikings coach Derrick Hastler said. “This was a great example of their toughness and resilience. I have a tough bunch.
“Avery hit the ball well early in the season, then she struggled to make contact, but she had a heck of a day today.”
Maya Segner’s four hits, including a solo home run in the third inning, led the Monarchs.
“To think this is where we are after starting 2-6, I can’t be upset,” Marysville coach Jenn Segner-Maxwell said. “We go back and forth with Teays every year. I knew this would be a battle.”
Lancaster 2, Olentangy Liberty 0
Toledo-bound pitcher Reese Poston took the second-seeded Golden Gales on her shoulders, throwing 5 ⅔ no-hit innings, striking out 11 and hitting her first home run of the season in the fifth as Lancaster (27-3) won its second district title in three years.
“I haven’t been hitting the way I’ve wanted to, so to come out here and do that was an amazing feeling and perfect timing,” said Poston, who allowed only one hit. “The first half of the season, I didn’t get the contact I wanted. I definitely didn’t look for the long ball in that at-bat, but I hit it where it was supposed to go.”
Liberty (12-7), the No. 11 seed, stranded two runners to end the game.
Kendall Brown had an RBI single in the third.
Hilliard Bradley 3, Dresden Tri-Valley 2
Taylor Hopkins’ fifth-inning sacrifice fly scored Andrea Day with the game-winning run as No. 3 Bradley (25-1) held off 10th-seeded Dresden Tri-Valley (22-7) to repeat as district champions.
Day doubled twice and Logan Cromer added two hits for Bradley, which will face Watkins Memorial in Wednesday’s first regional semifinal at Big Walnut. Mickey Moody’s two-run single in the first staked the Jaguars to the early lead, and she struck out three in two innings of relief of starter Jillian Meszaros.
“That was a tough one,” Bradley coach Kevin Moody said. “Logan picked the best day to have her best game all year. She’s solid for us behind the plate … and got some big bunts down.”
Watkins Memorial 10, Olentangy Orange 0 (5 innings)
Kennedy Trouten homered out of the No. 9 hole, Kendal Tellings had two hits and Maleya Thompson added a two-run double as the top-seeded Warriors (28-1) steadily pulled away to their fourth consecutive district championship.
Watkins Memorial scored four runs in the first and fourth innings and two in the third, and benefited from three errors from No. 13 Orange (16-8).
Only Kennedy Reed’s third-inning single separated Watkins Memorial pitcher Carsyn Cassady from her third consecutive postseason no-hitter. The Michigan State signee struck out 13 without a walk.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Which central Ohio softball teams won OHSAA district titles?
