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McDonald rolls into Division IV district semifinal
BOB ETTINGER | THE VINDICATOR
Bri Callow of McDonald bats against Jackson-Milton during their Division IV sectional championship game Wednesday at Woodland Park. The Blue Devils blanked the Blue Jays 10-0.
By BOB ETTINGER
MCDONALD
Megan Ward is fully aware of recent history for the McDonald High School softball team.
She’s also aware that she and her Blue Devils teammates have a chance to take a legacy of being very good and turn it into a legacy of being great.
McDonald has won conference championships in four of the last five seasons, including the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference title this year.
With a 10-0 victory over Jackson-Milton in a Division IV sectional final Wednesday at Woodland Park, the Blue Devils (15-4) will make their sixth straight appearance in the district tournament. They’ve played for three district crowns, losing in each of those contests.
“It’s our goal from the beginning of the season to get to district,” Ward said. “We were in the district final the last two years. No team at McDonald has ever won the district. We’re trying to push as hard as we can to do that. We’ve been very close the past two years. It’s very doable, but we have to work for it. We have to play every game as hard as we can.”
McDonald, seeded second, will play third-seeded East Palestine in a district semifinal at 6 p.m. Monday at Jackson-Milton Elementary.
“This season has already been a success,” Ward said. “We won the conference and that was a good accomplishment. Our next accomplishment can be getting to the district final. It would be awesome if we win. We know we’ve been there and haven’t won it yet. We know we can do it. It’s totally possible. We have to work for it and we have to go as hard as we can every pitch.”
Ward’s mindset is not unique in the McDonald dugout. Most of the players on the team might know of past accomplishments, but none feel any pressure to follow in the footsteps of teams past.
“Honestly, we only have one senior, two juniors, and one of them just started playing last year,” McDonald coach Michelle Titus said. “It doesn’t affect them whatsoever. When we won the MVAC, most of the kids didn’t know we had done it. The older kids did, but the younger kids were just smiling with a trophy.”
Taking a blue-collar approach has been a secret to success for the Blue Devils.
“It’s just making sure we’re at practice every day and doing what we have to do,” pitcher Bri Callow said. “You’ve got to put in the work to play at this level.
“The work we put in at practice, we have to apply on game day. We can’t do anything wrong if we do that.”
Ward and Callow led the way as the Blue Devils did just that in the win over the Blue Jays.
“Working hard physically means you have the ability to do it,” Titus said. “We instill playing as a team. We always do. The girls understand mistakes and errors will happen. They keep picking each other up. They play hard and overcome those things because they do it together.”
Ward, the lead-off hitter, had two hits, scored twice, walked and drove in a run to jumpstart the offense.
“We were all just looking for our pitch,” Ward said. “We all like different pitches. I was looking for something low and outside so I could drive it up the middle or to the left side. I think hitting is contagious. When one of us gets a hit, we all think we can get a hit. Everyone is cheering in the dugout. It gives us motivation to get hits for our pitcher, for our team.”
Chelsea Sudol had three hits, including a double, and Sarah Lorello had three hits.
Callow fanned 10 and hit a batter in a one-hit gem.
“I was just trying to make sure everything was good so I could move my team to the next round,” Callow said. “[Winning] feels like being on top of the world.”