South Range ends Triway's back-to-back state title hopes

CANTON — Many programs would have called it a rebuilding season.

Losing seven seniors, each of whom played key roles on last year’s Div. II state title team, isn't easy to overcome.

“Losing those seniors, we knew it was going to be tough to replace them,” said Titan coach Ron Rock. “Especially with a bunch of kids who didn’t have very much if any varsity experience.”

But this year’s team didn’t see it in the same view. Instead of rebuild, it was reload. Led by senior Emma Flinner and juniors Carter Wachtel and Hanna Massaro, the Titans found themselves back at regionals on Wednesday.

For the first time in three years, Triway found itself on the short end of a regional game, dropping a 4-3 decision to South Range in Div. III Region 9 semifinals.

“Getting back here was one of the many goals we've had for ourselves,” said Flinner. “Obviously we wanted to go further than this but getting this far with the girls that I have, it's been such a blessing.”

The Titans fell behind early as the Raiders struck first when Madison Dado tripled to the wall in center and scored on Kelly Szolek base hit.

It remained that way until the bottom of the fourth. Wachtel was hit by a pitch to start the frame. Payton Snyder entered as the courtesy runner and Triway made it two on with no outs when Callie Robson singled. Flinner delivered one of her biggest hits with an RBI double to even the score as Snyder slid across home plate. That brought up freshman Myah Lester, who smacked a 2-0 pitch to right field, which skipped past a diving Anna Aey for an RBI triple to give Triway a 2-1 lead.

Wachtel looked to be in control as she retired the side in order in the fifth with two strikeouts and started the sixth by fanning another. A defensive miscue allowed Dado to reach first base and then advance to second as she scored the equalizer on Samantha Susany single.

In the seventh, with two outs, Jayli Wilt doubled and Aey crushed a two-run homer over the wall in left. That put South Range (25-3) up 4-2 entering the home half of the seventh as Triway found itself down to its final three outs.

Still just as they have throughout the season, the Titans (21-4) went to work looking for that big hit.

Michelle Lyons lined a one-out single and the speedy Julia Root came on as a courtesy runner. Alyssa Hochstetler delivered a huge hit with an RBI double to cut the deficit in half and the tying run was in scoring position. Unfortunately, she never got closer as the Raiders Juli Stachowicz fanned the next two batters to clinch the victory.

“The team worked so hard day in and day out, and that showed tonight,” said Flinner. “We did everything we could, we're both great teams and I know they will come back next year ten times stronger.

“I've had so many goals this whole season for this team, not just me, and I feel that I've grown up with every one of these girls,” she added. “The bond that I've built with these girls throughout the season is unbelievable and it's something that I never want to leave.”

For Flinner, it marked her final game wearing the purple and white, and her impact couldn’t have been more evident. With hugs all around, tears in so many eyes, her imprint was visible on this team, and she couldn’t help but think of those who left an imprint on her.

“All the girls that I've had the chance to play with my whole career, they have all taught me more than any coach I've ever had both on and off the field,” Flinner said with emotion. “I've learned so many lessons from all of them, they really taught me what a true friend is like. They've had my back in and out of school, on and off the field, they just know me and getting to know every single one of them has truly made this so special.”

Flinner, one of Triway's two seniors along with Lindsay Miller, wasn’t finished as she pointed out one player in particular.

“Especially Carter, I mean she's always there checking in on everybody else. She is just such a great player and she knows what she can do, but nobody understands how good she really is.”

Wachtel finished the afternoon with 15 strikeouts and scattered six hits as she shouldered just her second tournament loss in 18 games.

“Emma with her experience over the past three years, to this point and time, it's big because the girls fed off of that,” said Rock. “Lindsay having been to state the past few years for bowling, that's another part of it that brings the kids here. You hear the kids cheering, they never really let themselves get down and they are a huge part of what we did this year.”

More importantly though, Rock looked back on a season of progression where kids had to grow up fast. And it happened. Lyons became one of the area’s best clutch hitters, Lester was a vacuum at third base, Hochstetler delivered in big moments, Robson patrolled center, Emma Yoder locked down right field and Liv Grabowski came on to anchor second base in the second half of the season.

“Look at us from the beginning of the season to where we are now,” said Rock. “I still don't think that we've peaked yet and it's unfortunate that it ended. Still, the growth of the kids this year was exponential all the way around.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Softball: South Range beats Triway 4-3 in OHSAA regional semis