Unioto shuts out Waverly to bring home sectional title
CHILLICOTHE − Unioto didn't need much in order to defeat Waverly in the Division II sectional finals on Wednesday. A few key hits and a rock-solid defense were all that was necessary.
Behind a go-ahead home run from Megan Miller and a stringent defensive stand through seven innings, the Shermans ended the day with a sectional championship in hand. They shut out the Tigers 3-0 at Unioto Softball Field, and in the process advanced to the Division II district semifinals.
"Defensively, we were flawless today," Unioto coach Rob Hull said. "No miscues, no errors and we communicated. When the sticks aren't going, that's what we rely on. Great defense and great pitching, that's what got us through today."
Hull was right. The Shermans, in one of their best defensive stands of the season, stranded the Tigers inning after inning and didn't commit a single error in the process. None of the Tigers made it further than second base, and no more than four batters came to the plate in any given inning.
Part of the shutdown came thanks to Hannah Hull. The pitcher lasted all seven innings in the circle, and she gave up just four hits while only walking one batter. Five strikeouts only made it harder for the Tigers to find a foothold. Hull even forced an inning-ending double play in the third inning after catching a line drive and making a quick throw over to first baseman Ava Dettwiller.
"I really had to be locked in and pitch my game, not focus on their past games and how they've been hitting the ball," Hull said. "I wanted to make it my game and make my team proud. I pitched well because I know I've got a really good defense behind me. Regardless of who hit the ball and where they hit the ball, I knew they were going to back me up."
The Shermans shut the Tigers down at the plate, but they faced their own troubles while up to bat. Their only run through the opening innings came after Megan Miller rocketed a home run to left field in the bottom of the first.
Miller's solo shot − which marked her fifth home run of the season − put the Shermans ahead, and for a time it was their only run to show.
Tigers pitcher Lexi Smith never gave the Shermans enough ground for a massive breakout. The freshman gave up just seven hits on the day, and she even struck out six of the Shermans while dealing with a hand injury from the fourth inning onward.
"Our pitching coaches came up with a great game plan for their hitters, and she executed it perfectly," Waverly coach Scott Hayes said. "Even after getting hurt, she stuck it out ... I thought I was taking her out and she gutted it out. She gave it everything she had. To have that out of a freshman, and to execute like that in this situation and in a sectional championship, that's a huge positive to take from it."
But all Unioto needed was a few key hits to shut the door on Waverly. It found its rhythm in the fourth inning. Abbie Marshall led off with a single, and Hull brought her home with a follow-up double before advancing to third on the throw. Emma Specht followed suit with a sacrifice bunt to score Hull and set the final score in stone.
Wednesday's win provided the Shermans with a mountain of confidence heading into the district finals. They've already taken a massive step into the postseason after taking down the Tigers, and they're looking to keep that energy flowing. To Miller, there's little doubt she and her teammates can capitalize on the win. The Shermans share a special connection in the dugout, and that's translated to results on the field.
"We always stay excited, even in practice," Miller said. "We're always hype, we're always excited, we're always bonding and always laughing, there's never a dull moment with us. I think we'll definitely keep the energy going into Tuesday next week."
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Unioto shuts out Waverly to bring home sectional title
