OHSAA SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS: A look back at the dozen best performances of the OHSAA semifinals and finals
Now that all 12 games are over at Firestone Stadium, and four OHSAA softball champions have been crowned, we decided to take a look back at some of the top performances that decided the four divisional title games. Here are the dozen best performances we picked out, listed in alphabetical order:
• Anna Ankney, Sherwood Fairview — Went 2-for-3 with five RBI and two runs scored for Fairview (28-1) in a 10-8 win over Wheelersburg in the Division III semifinals, her second-inning grand slam putting Fairview up 5-4. She followed it up with a sixth-inning home run in the 10-0 win over Canfield South Range in the title game.
• Lily Cassell, LaGrange Keystone — Tossed a three-hit shutout for Keystone (32-1) in a 5-0 win over New Concord John Glenn in the D-II semifinals, striking out six, then scattered eight hits and allowing three runs in the 7-3 win over Wooster Triway in the title contest.
• Jessica Chapman, LaGrange Keystone — Went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for Keystone (32-1) in a 7-3 win over Wooster Triway in the Division II championship, after going 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored in a 5-0 win over New Concord John Glenn (32-1) in the D-II semifinals.
• Missy Holzopfel, Massillon Perry — Struck out 12 in a one-hit shutout for Perry (27-6) in the 1-0 win in the Division I title game, handing Pataskala Watkins its first loss of the season. That followed a three-hitter in a 4-2 win over West Chester Lakota in the semifinals, in which she gave up just one earned run, striking out eight.
• Maddie Johnston, Massilon Perry — Her three-run home run in the second inning of the Division I semifinals was the difference for Perry (27-6) in a 4-2 win over West Chester Lakota. She was 1-for-1 with three walks in the championship game.
• Hailey Massaro, Wooster Triway — Homered and drove in two runs for Triway (28-3) in a 4-3 win over Hebron Lakewood in the Division II semifinals, then had a triple and two walks (one intentional) in the 7-3 loss to LaGrange Keystone in the D-II title game.
• Amber Miller, Massillon Perry — Her sixth-inning groundout drove in the only run needed by Perry (27-6) in a 1-0 win over Pataskala Watkins in the Division I title game.
• Austy Miller, Bradford — The leading hitter for the Railroaders went 4-for-6 with two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored in the two games it took for Bradford to win the Division IV title at Firestone Stadium, catching her sister, Skipp, and tossing out one runner in the semifinal win over New Riegel.
• Skipp Miller, Bradford — Tossed a one-hit shutout for Bradford (30-2) in the Division IV title game, striking out 10 and walking one in an 8-0 win over Cuyahoga Heights, after tossing an abbreviated, five-inning no-hitter, striking out 12 in the 11-0 win over New Riegel in the semifinals. She also went 3-for-5 at the plate in the two games, driving in two runs, helping her squad claim the school’s first team state title.
• Olivia Ricica, Sherwood Fairview — Drove in four runs on a double and a single for Fairview (28-1) in a 10-0 win over Canfield South Range in the Division III title game.
• Paige Ricica, Sherwood Fairview — Tossed a three-hit shutout for Fairview (28-1) in a 10-0 win over Canfield South Range in the Division III title game — needing just 57 pitches to get through six innings — striking out three and walking none, and going 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI. In the 10-8 semifinal win over Wheelersburg, she only allowed four earned runs, the rest attributable to five Fairview errors.
• Carter Wachtel, Wooster Triway — Homered and drove in two runs for Triway (28-3) in a 7-3 loss to LaGrange Keystone in the Division II championship contest. She also struck out 14 in the circle in the loss, after striking out nine in a three-hitter in a 4-3 win over Hebron Lakewood in the semifinals.
