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Walsh Jesuit, Lake high school softball win district semis to set up interesting final

brad bournival, akron beacon journal
·4 min read
Sienna Tepley and the second-seeded Walsh Jesuit Warriors advanced to their fourth straight district final on Monday.
Sienna Tepley and the second-seeded Walsh Jesuit Warriors advanced to their fourth straight district final on Monday.

MASSILLON — Natalie Susa gave up a home run on the second pitch of Walsh Jesuit’s Division I, Northeast District semifinal Monday and then mowed down every batter the rest of the way.

It added up to a 16-1 win by the second-seeded Warriors over 14th-seeded Hoban.

Peyton Ury was masterful in working out of jams in a 9-0 win by 16th-seeded Lake over 11th-seeded Jackson.

It sets up an interesting district final at Massillon at 5 p.m. Wednesday between the Warriors (20-0), who are ranked No. 1 in the state coaches poll, and the Blue Streaks (18-9), who have won five in a row and 11 of their last 12.

“I think we practice Tuesday with intensity and focus,” Lake coach Grace Franjesevic said. “I think it’s a lot about me building up and being my girls’ biggest cheerleader. I think they need that at times.

“Our hitting is our strong suit. We know we can hit the ball. We know we’ve hit faster pitching and I think we can do that Wednesday, too. It’s reminding them they belong there.”

How Walsh beat Hoban to advance to the district final

Walsh Jesuit pitcher Natalie Susa gave up a home run to to the opening batter and then sent down 15 in order in the Warriors' 16-1 win over Hoban.
Walsh Jesuit pitcher Natalie Susa gave up a home run to to the opening batter and then sent down 15 in order in the Warriors' 16-1 win over Hoban.

As mentioned before, Susa gave up an opening home run to Taylor Gerring and then sent the next 15 batters down and added 11 strikeouts.

Shaulis (3-for-4, two RBIs), McKayla McGee (2-for-3, home run, three RBIs) and Ella Girard (two singles, double, two runs) highlighted the offense, which scored 10 runs in the first and ended things in five.

“This team is special because we’re all well bonded,” McGee said. “On and off the field, we know if someone does something bad, we’ll be there to back them up. We always have each others’ backs. That’s something we can rely on.”

How Lake beat Jackson to advance to the district final

Lake pitcher Peyton Ury was a mastermind with runners in scoring position to keep the Blue Streaks in the postseason during a 9-0 win over Jackson.
Lake pitcher Peyton Ury was a mastermind with runners in scoring position to keep the Blue Streaks in the postseason during a 9-0 win over Jackson.

Ury pitched a complete game for the first time this season and kept the Polar Bears (13-15) off the scoreboard with 11 runners left on base.

The offense caught fire late and put up a six-run seventh to put things away.

Bella Barr (3-for-4, RBI, two runs), Aubrey Eisele (2-for-4, two singles, two runs) and Makenna Miller (two singles, three RBIs, run) paced the offense.

“We keep our momentum the same,” Barr said. “We practice the same and we keep doing the things as a team to get better. The Federal League is tough and that helps prepare us for bigger games. That helps us a lot.”

What the Division I district final looks like for Walsh and Lake

Walsh Jesuit's McKayla McGee led a 12-hit, 16-run attack for the Warriors, who beat Hoban, 16-1.
Walsh Jesuit's McKayla McGee led a 12-hit, 16-run attack for the Warriors, who beat Hoban, 16-1.

The Blue Streaks are back in a district final for the first time since 2019 and are looking to win a district title for the first time since 2005, when Lake won a state title.

Walsh is playing in its fourth straight district final and have reached the regional level two seasons in a row.

“We have a very deep team that has a lot of experience,” Walsh coach Tony Scibelli said. “We’ve got juniors and seniors who have played in a district final every year, have made it to regionals two of the last three years and I think it helps us be loose.

“One of the main hallmarks of our team is we’re very loose and we have fun. I think it would be harder if maybe we haven’t been there before. At the end of the day, once the game starts, it’s whoever executes better.”

Lake's Bella Barr hope to make it two seasons in a row with a win over Walsh Jesuit when the two play on Wednesday.
Lake's Bella Barr hope to make it two seasons in a row with a win over Walsh Jesuit when the two play on Wednesday.

Here’s the wrench in all of it.

Lake and Walsh played each other on May 5 last season and the Blue Streaks won 5-4.

Susa was out with an injury in that one, but it showed Lake just what playing in the Federal League means when it comes to playing someone out of conference.

“I really don’t think about it,” Ury said. “They are just another team doing what we’re doing. I think the Federal League is tough, so it gives us a good start to the season. We definitely get to see some tougher players and that helps us prepare for these tough teams.”

Scibelli knew he had something special in his Warriors, so he amped his schedule up as well and the squad responded with wins over three state-ranked teams — Holland Springfield, Anthony Wayne and Warren Champion — this season.

“Last year, I don’t think we were really on our game,” Shaulis said. “I think we weren’t focused like we are now. We need to keep that focus going.”

Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: High school softball, Lake and Walsh Jesuit onto OHSAA district final