Prep softball Thursday’s games

Hudson 3, Cin. Colerain 0

AKRON — Mindy Meredith hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning and pitched a two-hitter for Hudson in a Division I state semifinal. The Explorers (29-2) play Elyria at 10 a.m. Saturday at Firestone Stadium. Hudson won the state title in 2007. Meredith and Emily Schwaeble had a scoreless duel until the sixth, when Meredith homered to center field with one out. Colerain (20-9), in its first state semifinal, had a chance to take the lead in the second inning, but Meredith struck out two with the bases loaded. She did not allow a hit over the final five innings and finished with nine strikeouts, including the final three batters of the game. Schwaeble had three hits and 10 strikeouts.

Elyria 2, Hilliard Darby 0

Pitcher Tess Sito and top-ranked Elyria advanced to the Div. I final by beating Hilliard Darby. The Pioneers (28-3) have been runner-up the past three seasons and were champs in 2002. Sito, a senior, struck out 17 and allowed only a two-out, fifth-inning single to Mary-Kate OShea while walking none. Elyria scored both runs in the fourth inning when reliever Taylor Young walked Alyssa Barker and Darien Ward with the bases loaded. The Lady Pioneers had five hits off Young and starter Kellie Roudabush. The Panthers finished 22-9.

Convoy Crestview 5, Crestline 4

Convoy Crestview catcher Jessica Burger tagged out the tying run at home plate to end the Div. IV game. Natalie Ronk of Crestline (26-5) singled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, and Stacy Shumate followed with a double. Ronk tried to score on the play, but she couldn’t beat the relay from center fielder Lydia Etzler to shortstop Melissa Eickholt to Burger. The Knights (27-3) broke a 4-4 tie in the sixth on an RBI single by Eickholt with two outs. The Knights won a state title in 2005 after being runner-up two years earlier.

Strasburg-Franklin 3, Ansonia 0

Abby Froman and Erin Metzger had home runs for Strasburg-Franklin. The Tigers (31-2) will go for their fifth championship against Crestview. Carly Clark and Kasey Gerber limited Ansonia (26-8) to four hits and combined for eight strikeouts. Losing pitcher Brittany Mayo also gave up four hits. Froman led off the fourth with her homer to left center, and the Lady Tigers added an unearned run in the inning. Metzger homered to center to open the fifth for the final run. Strasburg-Franklin won three successive titles from 1987-89 and another in 1991.

Associated Press