By Tom Usher - [email protected]
Lima Central Catholic’s Anna Wannemacher fields a ground ball during a Tuesday Division IV district semifinal against Wayne Trace at Elida.
Leipsic’s Ava Henry fields a ground ball during a Tuesday Division IV district semifinal against North Baltimore at Elida.
Lima Central Catholic’s Emma Skinner catches an infield fly during a Tuesday Division IV district semifinal against Wayne Trace at Elida.
ELIDA — Wayne Trace’s come-from-behind victory showed why it is the No. 1 seed.
And it didn’t hurt the Raiders to come out on the plus side of a crazy rare play.
Wayne Trace pulled away with a 9-5 victory over Lima Central Catholic in the Division IV softball district semifinals Tuesday.
LCC (7-12), which had its six-game winning streak halted, led 4-1 after two innings.
Wayne Trace scored two in the third and two more in the fourth to take the lead to stay, 5-4, after four.
“We had a 4-1 lead for two innings and then we made a couple mistakes and the ball didn’t go our way,” LCC coach Brett Roehm said. “Then, we had the oddest play I’ve ever seen in a ballgame.’’
Wayne Trace (18-5) advances to the district finals against North Baltimore winner at 5 p.m. Friday at Elida.
The wacky play happened in the top of the sixth, with LCC at-bat and trailing 6-4.
With one out, LCC’s Melana Badea was on third and Jaylen Roehm was on first.
LCC’s Kiegh Macklin was at-bat.
Roehm took off and stole second on the pitch, but Wayne Trace catcher Kaitlin Slade elected to try to throw to third instead of second in hopes of catching the LCC runner napping at third.
Slade tried to throw to third, but the throw hit the batter, Macklin, flush in the side of the helmet. The ball shot off the helmet and ended up sitting in front of the LCC dugout on the third-base side.
Melana Badea appeared to score from third on the throw.
The umpires huddled and ruled there was batter interference on the catcher’s throw.
On the throw, the batter turned and eased one foot out of the batter’s box.
The runner on third who came home was ruled out and the run failed to count.
The score remained Wayne Trace ahead 6-4 in the sixth.
“If she had stayed exactly in the box she would have been OK,” Roehm said the umpires told him. “When I first had a discussion with him, she was attempting to get out of the way. Then, it was, she wasn’t in the box.’’
Kyla Badea followed with an RBI single to center to bring LCC within 6-5 in the sixth.
The Raiders finished off the game with three runs in the home sixth to make it 9-5.
Macy Doster had a two-run double to center to make it 8-5. Tatum Tigner’s RBI groundout to third finished it off at 9-5.
Logen Bland picked up the win for Wayne Trace. She went all seven innings and gave up five runs, four earned, on nine hits. She struck out three and walked four.
Bland threw 115 pitches, 70 for strikes. As the game went on, Bland threw more change-ups than fastballs.
“We saw they were hitting the ball on the outside corner, so we went more with the change-up,” Bland said.
Bland also had a two-run home run in the fourth.
In the first week of the season, Wayne Trace swept LCC 6-0, 17-4.
“They were way better hitters now than when we first played them,” Bland said.
The game was tied at 1 after the first inning.
In the second, Madalena Knotts walked and No. 9 hitter, Melana Badea blasted a two-run home run to left to give LCC a 3-1 lead. Kyla Badea’s RBI groundout made it 4-1.
Wayne Trace got within 4-3 in the third.
Then, in the fourth, Wayne Trace’s Ava Zartman singled and Bland hit a two-run homer to left.
That gave the Raiders the lead to stay 5-4.
“I really didn’t think it was out. I just thought it was hit to left field,” Bland said. “But I felt it made the whole team a little more excited.’’
Wayne Trace made it 6-4 in the fifth.
For LCC, Roehm went 3 for 3 with a double. Including the sectional final, Roehm was 6 for 6.
Anna Wannemacher was 2 for 4. Kyla Badea had two RBI.
Melana Badea had a home run and two RBI.
On the mound, Roehm went all six innings and gave up nine runs, four earned, on eight hits. She struck out four and walked one.
For Wayne Trace, Macy Doster was 2 for 4 with two doubles and two RBI.
Slade was 2 for 3 with four RBI.
LCC had been 1-11 just weeks ago before winning six in a row, including wins of Bluffton and Columbus Grove in the sectional.
“We got so much better, from Day 1 to the final day,” Roehm said. “I’m pretty proud of them.’’
ELIDA — Jocelyn Hermiller had a home run and Abby Haselman doubled for Leipsic. Abby Haselman also double for Leipsic.
WAPAKONETA — Winning pitcher Taylor Post did not give up a walk and allowed three hits while striking out four in five innings. Zadria King had three hits, including a double, and two RBI, Addysen Stevens had three hits and two RBI, Kendall Bollenbacher had a triple, a home run and two RBI and Braxton Sherrick had two hits and an RBI for Lincolnview. Ella Pape and Lauren Homan each had a hit and an RBI for New Bremen.
The Lancers advanced to play Fort Recovery at 5 p.m. Friday at Wapak.
WAPAKONETA — The Indians defeated the district’s top seed.
BATH TOWNSHIP — Madison Wendel had a home run for Coldwater. She also did not permit an earned run or a walk and allowed six hits while striking out seven in six innings.
BOWLING GREEN — Anthony Wayne will play Sylvania Northview for the district championship Friday.
UPPER SANDUSKY — Winning pitcher Leah Ramirez and Kylie Biglow allowed four hits and three walks while striking out five in seven innings. Cadence Miller had two hits and an RBI also for the Bulldogs.
Coldwater’s Madison Wendel (player of the year) and Kyle Ahrens (coach of the year) won top honors in the Midwest Athletic Conference.
Joing Wendel on the first team were Claire Steinke (Coldwater), Chloe Grisez (Fort Recovery), Sophie Pearson (Fort Recovery), Ashlyn Bohman (Marion Local), Lyndi Hemmelgarn (Minster), Mikaela Hoskins (Minster), Addi Inskeep (Minster), Allison Hays (New Bremen), Alayna Ross (New Bremen), Madison Louth (Parkway), Paige Stephenson (Parkway), Lauren Mestemaker (St. Henry), Carlee Rethman (St. Henry), Jenna Dirksen (Versailles) and Tara Fritscher (Versailles).
PERRY TOWNSHIP — Winning pitcher Ryan Yingst allowed five hits and four walks while striking out six in seven innings. Yingst also had two hits and an RBI and Joey Hoersten had two hits, including a double, and Brady Shively had a pair of hits also for the Commodores, who will play host to Fort Recovery at 5 p.m. Thursday. Nick Alig had a double and an RBI for the Cardinals.
DELPHOS — Brock Dues had two hits and two RBI for Fort Recovery. Jack Gerker had a hit and two RBI and Gavin Becker had a double and an RBI for DSJ.
FORT JENNINGS — Adam Luersman knocked in Carson Gilchriest with the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth. Jarron Swick had three hits, including a home run, and an RBI, Jon Grote had two hits, including a double, and Gilchriest had two hits also for the Musketeers, who will play at 5 p.m. Thursday at Miller City. Alex Suever had three hits and an RBI and Landon Horstman had two hits, including a double, and two RBI for the Big Green.
MARIA STEIN — Gabe Link had a pair of RBI and Alex Knapke doubled for the Marion Local, which will play at 5 p.m. Thursday at St. Henry. Jay Schroeder had two hits and an RBI and Jay Waterman had a pair of hits for New Knoxville.
CONVOY — Winning pitcher Preston Kreischer allowed two hits and a pair of walks while striking out seven in six innings. Carson Hunter had two hits, including a double, and three RBI and Hunter Jones had a home run and three RBI. Cooper Roberts and David Born had W-G’s hits. Crestview will play at 5 p.m. Thursday at Lima Central Catholic.
NORTH BALTIMORE — The hosts advanced to play at 5 p.m. Thursday at Leipsic.
MCCOMB — The hosts will next play at 5 p.m. Thursday at Patrick Henry.
ADA — The Bearcats will play at 5 p.m. Thursday at Lincolnview.
MOUNT VICTORY — Carey will play at 5 p.m. Thursday at Buckeye Central.
LIMA — Caleb Warnimont, Thomas Weis and Brent Koenig combined to allow a hit by Matthew Quatman and three walks while striking out three in seven innings. Caleb Niese had a hit and an RBI. LCC’s Gira Cira and Braden Tarr allowed six hits and two walks while striking out four in seven innings.
KALIDA — Winning pitcher Colin Hoffman allowed five hits and three walks while striking out six in five innings. Grant Vorst had two hits and two RBI and EJ Miller had a hit and three RBI also for Kalida. Scalf had two hits and J Simmons had a double and an RBI for Jefferson.
ANTWERP — Damon McCracken had a home run and four RBI, Ethan Rupert had two hits, including a double, and an RBI and Brylen Parker had a double and two RBI for the visiting Cougars.
COLDWATER — Winning pitcher Keegan Bruggeman and Josh Kaup combined to allow two hits and a walk while striking out five in seven innings. AJ Harlamert had two hits and Josh Kaup and Bruggeman each had a hit and an RBI also for the Cavaliers. Gunnar Kuhn homered for Elida.
CELINA — Zander Jones scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning off an error on a Zach Greber bunt. Nick Steinbrunner had two hits also for the Bulldogs.
Coldwater’s Reece Dellinger (player of the year) and Brian Harlamert (coach of the year) won top honors in the MAC.
Joining Dellinger on the first team were AJ Harlamert (Coldwater), Braylen Harlamert (Coldwater), Adam Hrycko (Coldwater), Gabe Link (Marion Local), Logan Kohne (Minster), Johnny Nixon (Minster), Nick Alig (New Bremen), Vince Hulse (New Bremen), Aaron Thieman (New Bremen), Bryce Brookhart (St. Henry), Devin Delzeith (St. Henry), Shane Franck (St. Henry), Seth Heitkamp (St. Henry), Nolan Schmitz (St. Henry), Gavin Becker (Delphos St. John’s), Brady Kerner (St. John’s), Carson Bey (Versailles), Jake Carman (Versailles) and Noah McEldowney (Versailles).
Kalida’s Noah Verhoff and Leipsic’s Peyton Heitmeyer have been selected as the Putnam County League’s 2022 Players of the Year for track and field.
MOBILE, Ala. — The University of Northwestern Ohio advanced to the second round of NAIA National Championship.
Collecting singles wins for the Racers were Malik Omarkhanov (4-6, 6-0, 6-2), Nils Messin (7-5, 6-1), Marcos Salazar (6-3, 6-4) and David Ayguavives (6-2, 6-3). Sergio Conde and Salazar won their doubles match 6-4. Conde was winning his singles match 6-1, 3-6, 5-4 when it was halted after UNOH had clinched the victory.
The ninth-seeded Racers will play No. 8 seed Montreat (North Carolina) at 10 a.m. EDT today.
UPLAND, Ind. — Yadi Rivera had two hits, including a home run, and two RBI and Tyler Grigalis and Ben Jackson each had a homer and two RBI for the Racers, who will play the winner of Bryan (Tennessee) and NAIA opening round host Taylor at 3 p.m. today.
ADA — Seniors Kristy Catrine and Jeremy Adams were named as Ohio Northern’s Clyde Lamb Award winners for 2021-22.
The Clyde A. Lamb Awards are presented annually to 10 male and 10 female student-athletes representing each of the Ohio Athletic Conference institutions and is the highest honor granted by the league.
Criteria for the award includes at least two years participation in an OAC-sponsored sport, senior status, a minimum grade point average of 3.00 and sportsmanlike conduct in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete and his or her institution.
Catrine is a two-time OAC Goalkeeper of the Year, earning the honor as a member of the All-OAC First Team in 2020 and 2021. She was also named to the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association All-Ohio First Team and United Soccer Coaches All-Region 7 First Team this season.
Adams was named OAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week five times and had six All-OAC finishes.
ADA — The Ohio Northern women won the 2021-22 OAC All-Sports Trophy, while the ONU men finished third, the league office announced Monday night.
In the women’s race, the Polar Bears compiled 81.75 points to defeat second-place Mount Union by 6.25 points for the title.
John Carroll won the men’s crown with 89 points. Mount Union was second with 76 points and ONU was third with 69.75 points.
Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
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