OHSAA Softball District Quarterfinals
Indian Lake 5, Benjamin Logan 4
A thrilling local postseason showdown saw Indian Lake erase an early three-run deficit and hold off a dramatic final-inning rally to defeat Benjamin Logan 5-4 on the road in district quarterfinal action.
After being swept by the Lady Raiders in the regular season and outscored 14-5 across those two meetings, the Lady Lakers flipped the script when it mattered most to keep their season alive.
Benjamin Logan jumped out early in the first inning. Kylie Harner doubled to center with one out, and Rylan Norviel followed with an RBI single to left for the first run of the day. Adilynne Gregg then singled to put runners on the corners, ending the outing for Indian Lake starter Makayle Clary. Bre Wisener entered in relief and nearly escaped the jam, but with two outs, Neveah Fogle lined a two-run single to left to push the Raiders ahead 3-0 after one.
Indian Lake threatened in the second with singles from Brylee Buyer and Payton Davis, but Gregg escaped the inning after Davis was caught stealing and a groundout ended the frame. Wisener answered with a clean bottom half despite allowing a two-out single to keep the deficit at three.
The Lakers finally broke through in the third. Kyler Carruthers doubled to right with one out, and courtesy runner Kelsey Traylor came home on an RBI single from Izzi Mackesy. After a passed ball moved runners into scoring position, Buyer ripped a two-run double to left to tie the game at 3-3. Carruthers then entered the circle and kept the Raiders off the board in the bottom half.
Both teams were quiet over the next two innings as pitchers settled in, but Indian Lake grabbed its first lead in the sixth. Payton Davis led off with a single, advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Traylor, and scored on an RBI single to right by Ayla Brentlinger to make it 4-3.
The Lakers added crucial insurance in the seventh. Mackesy tripled to right with one out and later scored on Buyer’s RBI single to center, extending the lead to 5-3.
That insurance proved vital in a tense bottom of the seventh. Norviel reached on an error to open the inning and moved to third after a passed ball. Gregg then walked, putting runners on the corners. Carruthers struck out Tanna Jacobs for the first out, but Fogle came through again with an RBI double to center, scoring Norviel and cutting the deficit to one while moving the tying and go-ahead runs into scoring position.
After Bonnie Brunson reached on a comebacker to load the bases, Benjamin Logan had a golden chance to win it. But on the first pitch of the next at-bat, a sharp ground ball to shortstop was fielded cleanly by Wisener, who fired home for the force out at the plate. Catcher Kelsey Jumper then quickly threw behind the runner trying to advance to third, completing a game-ending double play and sealing the dramatic 5-4 victory.
Indian Lake got strong pitching after the rocky first inning. Wisener threw 1.2 innings and settled things down, while Carruthers starred in relief by tossing five innings of one-run ball, allowing seven hits and one walk while striking out two.
Buyer led the Lakers offensively, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Mackesy finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a key seventh-inning triple, while Davis was a perfect 3-for-3.
For Benjamin Logan, Fogle had a monster day in defeat, finishing 4-for-4 with three RBIs. Norviel drove in the other run, while Harner and Brielle Kline each had two hits. Gregg went the distance in the circle, allowing five runs (four earned) on 11 hits while striking out three.
Benjamin Logan ends its season at 10-12, while Indian Lake improves to 11-15 and advances to the district semifinals to face Brookville on Tuesday, May 19.
Bellefontaine 10, Archbishop Carroll 3
Bellefontaine pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the district quarterfinal round, knocking off No. 2 seed Archbishop Carroll 10-3 for just its fifth win of the season.
After a scoreless first inning, the Lady Chiefs got on the board in the second. Joy Fogan led off with a single and advanced on an error before Chloe Heminger drove her in with an RBI single to left. Brilee Joseph later singled, and Heminger eventually scored on a Carroll error to make it 2-0.
Fogan was sharp early in the circle, holding Carroll scoreless through the first two innings while allowing just two baserunners.
The Patriots answered in the third, tying the game with back-to-back RBI hits — a double to right followed by a single to right. Fogan quickly regrouped, retiring the next three batters in order to limit the damage.
Bellefontaine reclaimed control in the fourth. Joseph led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ryle Crabtree. Cameo Greene then laid down a bunt single to score Joseph, and Ava Dolan followed with a bases-clearing double to center, stretching the lead to 5-2.
Fogan dominated from there, retiring six straight batters across the fourth and fifth innings while Bellefontaine added breathing room in the sixth. Alayna Boyd was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and Paxton Stewart reached on an infield single before an error allowed another run to score. Later in the inning, Fogan helped herself with an RBI single, Heminger delivered a two-run single to center, and Joseph capped the rally with another RBI single to put the Chiefs firmly in control at 10-2.
Archbishop Carroll scratched across one final run in the seventh on a two-out double, but that was all Bellefontaine allowed.
Fogan was outstanding in the complete-game victory, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out an impressive 14 batters. She also contributed offensively, going 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Heminger led the offense with two hits and three RBIs. Joseph also had a huge day with three hits, while Greene and Addison Wical each added two hits.
Bellefontaine improves to 5-19 and advances to face Tipp City in the district semifinals on Tuesday, May 19. The Lady Chiefs also still have one regular-season game remaining on Friday against Bethel.
Urbana 14, Oakwood 4 (6 innings)
The Urbana Lady Hillclimbers extended their win streak to 10 straight games, staying hot at the plate in a 14-4 run-rule victory over Oakwood to open tournament play.
Urbana wasted no time building a cushion, erupting for six runs in the first inning. Chloe Easterday led off with a double before Addie Fox drove her home with another double. Moments later, Bailee Packer launched her 13th home run of the season, a two-run shot to center, to quickly make it 3-0. The Lady Hillclimbers kept the pressure on with three more runs in the inning, including a two-RBI double from Aubrie Reynolds, for a 6-0 lead.
Oakwood answered with three runs in the second and added another in the fourth to trim the deficit to 6-4, but Urbana never let the momentum fully shift. The Lady Hillclimbers added an insurance run in the fifth when Lacie Cayten scored on a passed ball.
Urbana then ended the game with a seven-run sixth inning. Four straight singles opened the frame before Fox delivered a two-RBI single to right. With the bases still loaded later in the inning, Packer lined a walk-off RBI single to center to cap off a seven-run inning and secure the run-rule victory, 14-4.
Isla Wooten tossed a complete game for Urbana, allowing just one earned run on four hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Packer and Fox each went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, Reynolds drove in two runs, and Easterday added a two-hit performance.
Urbana improves to 19-6 and advances to the district semifinals, where the Lady Hillclimbers will face Carlisle on Tuesday, May 19. Urbana also hosts Arcanum in a regular season matchup Saturday.
West Liberty-Salem 22, Twin Valley South 8 (5 innings)
The West Liberty-Salem Lady Tigers powered their way into the district semifinals with a dominant 22-8 run-rule win over Twin Valley South, highlighted by a massive 10-run third inning.
WL-S got rolling early with three runs in both the first and second innings. In the opening frame, Olivia Reichardt drove in two runs with a double to left before Kaylee Blair added an RBI groundout. After pitcher Emma Liggett worked a scoreless first with two strikeouts, the Tigers added three more in the second behind a two-run double from Karless Lucas and an RBI reach on error by Emily King for a 6-0 lead.
Twin Valley South answered with two runs in the bottom of the second, but the Tigers quickly blew the game open in the third. With the bases loaded, Kiersten Stoll ripped a two-run double and Lucas followed with a two-run single. Later in the inning, Ashlyn Yeater added a two-run single, Taylor Cook drew a bases-loaded walk, and Stoll capped the explosive frame with a two-run single, helping WL-S pile up 10 runs and take a commanding 16-2 advantage.
The Panthers scored four runs across the next two innings, but West Liberty-Salem kept the bats going. The Tigers plated six more runs in the fifth, with RBIs from King, Blair, Britton Carter, and Cortnee Muterspaw helping push the lead to 22-6 before the run rule was finalized.
Liggett pitched all five innings, allowing eight runs, six earned, on 10 hits and three walks while striking out four.
Stoll and Lucas each drove in four runs to lead the offense, Reichardt added three RBIs, while King, Blair, and Yeater each drove in two. King also led the team with three hits.
West Liberty-Salem advances to the district semifinals, where the Lady Tigers will face top-seeded Tri-Village on Tuesday, May 19.
National Trail 2, Riverside 1
The Riverside Lady Pirates saw their season end in a 2-1 pitcher’s duel loss to National Trail.
Riverside starter Keira Manahan escaped a major jam in the first, striking out the side after the first three Trail Blazers reached base. National Trail broke through in the third, scoring two runs on an RBI single and a Riverside error to take a 2-0 lead.
The Pirates answered in the sixth when Emilee Robinson led off with a double and scored on an RBI single from Zoey Ransbottom. Riverside later loaded the bases with two outs, but a lineout back to the pitcher ended the threat.
In the seventh, Riverside put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position after a walk by Robinson and a double from Chloe Purtee, but Ransbottom struck out in a long at-bat to end the game.
Manahan pitched well in the loss, allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out nine over six innings.
Ransbottom had the lone RBI, Robinson recorded Riverside’s only multi-hit game, and Purtee and Manahan each added a hit.
Riverside finishes its season at 10-15.
