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Ridge, JM set for district final showdown
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Western Reserve catcher Marley Oles blocks the plate as Jackson-Milton’s Zaina Sahli tries to score during a Division IV softball semifinal Monday in Lisbon. The Bluejays ousted the Blue Devils, 8-5, and advance to the final against Mineral Ridge.
By Tom Williams
LISBON
In the opening week of softball season, Mineral Ridge lost two close games to Jackson-Milton.
The fifth-seeded Rams (12-9) are eager for another chance today against the fourth-seeded Bluejays (20-8).
Mineral Ridge defeated Columbiana, 8-3, on Monday in a Division IV district semifinal at the Dickey baseball complex. In the other semifinal, Jackson-Milton ousted top-seeded Western Reserve, 8-5.
“It was our first two games of the season, we only lost by two runs both times,” Mineral Ridge coach Bill Croft said. “Our team is starting to hit the ball better, hitting more line drives.”
The Bluejays came through with clutch hits against their arch-rival, scoring six times with two outs.
“That kills you, but good for them for getting those big hits,” Western Reserve coach Laura Amero said.
The win is Jackson-Milton’s second in the past three games against Western Reserve. The Bluejays won the district championship last year, 3-2 in nine innings. Three weeks ago, Western Reserve won, 4-2.
Trailing 3-2 in the fifth inning, the Bluejays tied the game on Rebecca Jones’ triple down the right-field line that scored Paije Kiraly. The ball bounced in front of right fielder Brittney Lude then skipped into the corner.
“I normally hit straight to center,” said Jones, the Bluejays’ number-six hitter. “I’ve been in a batting slump for a while and I was really nervous so I was filled with joy with that hit.”
Rachael Obradovich’s infield single scored Jones to put Jackson-Milton ahead.
“The bottom of the order hit it hard today,” Jackson-Milton coach Kelly Snowden said. “Six, seven, eight nine today — big every time.”
Number-eight batter Beth Ritchie twice walked and scored while Taylor Tharp had two hits to advance her.
Caitlyn Carney’s two-run homer in the sixth inning extended the Bluejays’ lead to 6-3.
Carney was confident she had a homer when the ball left her bat.
“It had that good feeling,” the senior catcher said of her homer to left field. “It’s always great to beat your rival, especially in your senior year.
“It’s sort of bittersweet because it’s the last time we’ll ever play them.”
The Bluejays added two runs in the seventh inning on RBI singles by Tharp and Zaina Sahli.
The Blue Devils, co-champions of the Inter Tri-County League Tier Two with Columbiana, made the Bluejays sweat in their final at-bat.
Maddie Kreitzburg doubled, Alexis Lude hit a RBI triple and April Lude reached base on an error to slice the lead to 8-5. Brittney Lude doubled to put runners on second and third with one out.
Kiraly (20-8), the Bluejays’ ace, escaped the jam by retiring Gabby Stubbs on a lineout and Jenny Stubbs on a groundout.
“It was so hard,” Kiraly said of getting the final out. “It was nerve-wracking because you just want it to be over.”
Snowden praised Western Reserve (21-6) for not folding.
“To their credit, they kept coming back,” Snowden. “Any time we play, it’s a dogfight.”
Minus third baseman Khylea Fullum, Columbiana struggled defensively against Mineral Ridge, committing seven errors. Fullum twisted her ankle in last Thursday’s win over Western Reserve.
Mineral Ridge’s Darby Kolesar (12-9) tossed a four-hitter. Her two hits included a double.
“I’m excited to play [Jackson-Milton],” said Kolesar, who acknowledged that the Bluejays’ record “makes ne nervous a little bit because I know they are a good hitting team.”
The Rams are no strangers to extra-base hits. McKenzie Garland, Emily Reese and Peyton Allen tripled.
“The last couple of games, we’ve been hitting really well,” said Allen who also had two singles. “I don’t think we were underdogs, but just real confident.
“It’s going to be a close one.”
For the Clippers (20-8), Navi Kaur and Colette Steiginga tripled.