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Columbiana falls in D-4 semifinal
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Columbiana's #18 Claire Brothers walks of the field after being the final strikeout of the game while Crestview catcher #17 Jessica Burger celebrates.
By Tom Williams
AKRON
Jitters were a part of the Columbiana High softball team’s lineup in the Clippers’ first state appearance.
“We had a tremendous experience,” Columbiana coach Bonnie Wilkinson said after a 6-2 loss to Convoy Crestview (21-4) in the Division IV state semifinal on Friday at Firestone Stadium. “We had a great ride through the tournament but we couldn’t shake the nerves today.
“But I’m so proud of the girls — we’ve made history, we set the standard for CHS softball,” Wilkinson said. “We’ll cherish the memories.”
One week after their first regional appearance where they outscored their opponents 17-14, the Clippers struggled at the plate until the seventh inning when Khylea Fullum homered, Dakota DeAmicis doubled and Jordan Stoddard hit a RBI single.
Crestview’s win sets up a rematch of the 2009 state title game against Strasburg. Columbiana finished 15-10.
“They hit the ball extremely well,” Wilkinson said of Crestview. “They are a quality team.”
The Knights jumped on the Clippers for two runs in their first at-bat. After Taylor Hambrick’s lead-off single, Jessica Burger drew a one-out walk. Hambrick came in on Mackenzie Richard’s single and Burger beat shortstop Hayley Goist’s throw to the plate on a fielder’s choice.
In the third inning, the lead grew to 5-0 when Burger, Preston, Kristen Hicks, Maddie Etzger and Holly Genth all singled to produce three runs.
“Looking at the scoreboard, it was heartbreaking,” Fullum said. “We knew we had to do the best we could and had to have a sharp game.
“We had critical errors and it kind of snowballed from there,” the sophomore catcher said. “The nerves definitely got the best of us, it was pretty obvious.”
DeAmicis needed 28 pitches to get out of the first inning and gave everyone a scare in the sixth inning. After her 123rd pitch, DeAmicis grabbed her pitching shoulder in pain.
“I was pitching a drop curve and it sort of felt like my shoulder just popped,” said sophomore pitcher who added that it’s the first time she had felt such pain.
DeAmicis took several warmup tosses and convinced Wilkinson she could finish. She struck out Genth swinging on her next pitch for the final out.
As the Clippers’ seniors, Goist and Stoddard finished their career with a trip some thought highly unlikely.
“There is definitely no other way that I would want to go out,” Goist said. “It was an awesome experience.
“Never when I was freshman did it cross my mind that we would make it to state,” Goist said. “We didn’t have very much success my freshman and sophomore years, and then my junior year we fell short in the district final.
“So this year was definitely an awesome experience.”