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W. Reserve, Aquinas win for title rematch
By Tom Williams
BERLIN CENTER
Two strong pitching performances have set up a rematch in the Division IV softball district tournament at Western Reserve High School.
Western Reserve’s senior ace Aleah Hughes fired a five-inning one-hitter against Lisbon, striking out 14 in Wednesday’s 11-0 semifinal victory.
In the other semifinal, Emily Lair scattered four hits as St. Thomas Aquinas ousted Columbiana, 9-1.
Today at 5 p.m., Western Reserve (13-7) and St. Thomas Aquinas (19-8) will play for a regional trip. Last year in Lisbon, the Blue Devils defeated the Knights, 5-2, with Hughes outdueling Lair.
“It looks like they are hitting the ball better than last year,” Western Reserve head coach Joe Serensky said of the Knights. “And [Lair] is doing a good job.”
One thing the Knights have going for them is they will be at full strength. In last year’s game, they were missing twins Kacee and Kalee Soehnlen who run track and were at the Division III district meet. The Soehnlens were members of the Knights’ state champion 4x800 track team last June.
Kacee ran in Wednesday’s district meet then arrived in to time to enter the game in the first inning. She contributed three hits including a triple, scored twice, walked once and drove in two runs.
“What she brings to the table with her speed on the bases and her eyes at the plate [is special],” Aquinas head coach Mike Heppe said.
Western Reserve-Lisbon
Hughes retired the first nine Lisbon batters on strikeouts. In the fourth inning, catcher Tory White caught a foul pop-up. With two outs, Devyn Flory broke Hughes’ perfect game bid with a sharply hit ball just past first baseman Maddie Kreitzburg.
“With a dominating pitcher, you have to make contact, put the ball in play,” said Lisbon head coach Dave Crismon, whose team elimated top-seeded Crestview last week. “The stage was too big for us tonight. To be honest, I’m pretty disappointed but we have a young team and we plan on being back here.”
Lisbon loses two seniors: third baseman Kyrstan Rose and Alyssa Gresh.
Hughes (9-4) said she wasn’t paying attention to her strikeouts and Lisbon’s lack of hits.
“I’m just interested in the batter I’m facing,” Hughes said. “That’s my main priority.”
Western Reserve jumped on Lisbon’s Sam Timsley for two runs in the first inning, with Kreitzburg and Alexis Miller getting RBIs.
Western Reserve pounced for six runs in the second inning. with Jenny Stubbs, Hughes and Kaitlyn Deal contributing doubles.
“We had two or three errors right off the bat and it just snowballs,” Crismon said.
Hughes said Western Reserve has improved since an unimpressive start.
“We started off slow,” Hughes said. “We came out with high expectations and then didn’t realize what we had to do [to achieve] those expectations.”
In two years at Western Reserve, Hughes has played volleyball, basketball and softball, leading the team to three regionals (two in basketball, one in softball).
“I’m not ready to graduate yet,” said Hughes who will be a walk-on for the Youngstown State University volleyball team in the fall. “It so much fun being around these girls.”
Stubbs sparked the Western Reserve offense with two hits including a double and three runs scored.
“We have a lot of faith in her,” said Stubbs of Hughes. “Right now, we’re clicking.”
Miller and Hughes each had three RBIs.
AQUINAS-COLUMBIANA
Six Clippers played their final varsity game: pitcher Madison Macklin, shortstop Madison Roessler, third baseman Lauren Schlueter, catcher Navi Kaur, outfielder Baylie Mook and Abby Fleeson. They are the first group to spend four years in head coach Jerry Beltempo’s program.
“I’ve never played with a better group,” said Macklin, adding that playing for the fiery head coach “has been a journey — many laughs, many yelling matches. But it’s definitely been worth it. He’s the best coach I’ve ever had.”
Roessler, whose two hits included a homer, agreed.
“He taught us all a lot,” Roessler said.
Kaur doubled and Holly Gotthardt singled for Columbiana’s other hits. The Clippers finished 22-4.