SPRING 2019 SOFTBALL PITCHER: Ashley Wire Poland

Poland senior pitcher Ashley Wire (20-1) will never forget the final five games of her four-year varsity career. The Bulldogs defeated Cardinal Mooney (8-2), Ursuline (7-6), Field (6-5) and Crestwood (12-4) to earn the program’s fifth trip to state.

“I was just so honored and proud to be part of this team,” Wire said. “It’s great to be part of school history — I’m always going to be proud of that.”

The Bulldogs won 29 straight games before falling to Jonathan Alder 6-3 in the Division II state semifinals at Akron’s Firestone Stadium.

There is a connection from Poland’s last state team and this one. Erin Gabriel, the Bulldogs ace from 2009-12, is Wire’s pitching coach. Gabriel was on the Bulldogs teams that went to state in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Poland won the state title in 2011.

“She’s awesome, I learned so much from her, just in the first month or so,” Wire said of Gabriel who pitched for the University of Tennessee. “She’s a great teacher at helping you understand what you are doing wrong and how to fix it.”

Wire admitted she “was a little intimidated at first, I was nervous to go to practices, but after the first couple of lessons we bonded.”

Wire’s career will continue at Westminster College.

“I really liked the size of the campus and the coach,” Wire said of Jan Reddinger. “She was really direct and forward with me that she wanted me to play there.”

A 4.0 student at Poland, Wire will study biochemisty and wants to become a pharmacist.

“I’ve always found it interesting, I’m a big science person.”

Beth Queen, who taught her two biology courses, is her favorite teacher.

“She would always give us advice for college and life in general,” Wire said.

Her older sister Amanda plays softball for Ashland University. Her brothers Aaron and Aidan will be a junior and freshman at Poland in August.

Neither of her parents — Ken and Diane — were varsity athletes.

“My Dad was athletic, but didn’t play varsity sports.”

Her mom played flute and piccolo in the band.

Asked where the children’s athletic gifts came from, Wire laughed.

“I ask my parents [that] all the time.”

Jim Serich was her varsity coach for three seasons.

“He’s really positive,” Wire said. “You can have a bad inning or a bad game and he always finds something positive to say.”