HERALDS TOP BLUE JAYS TO WIN DISTRICT SEMI FINAL
North Jackson, OH — Powered by a big night at the plate from Nadia Lagoa, the Saint John Heralds punched their ticket to the OHSAA District finals with a 10-5 victory over the Jackson-Milton Blue Jays in Monday’s district semi final.
Lagoa delivered in the clutch for the Heralds, finishing 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Her biggest swing came in the fifth inning when she roped a bases-clearing double to ignite a six-run rally. She added an RBI single in the sixth to cap off a dominant offensive performance.
Saint John wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, plating two runs in the first inning. Maddie Holler drove a double to center to score the game’s first run, and Mary West followed with an RBI groundout to give the Heralds an early 2-0 edge.
The Bluejays battled back in the fourth inning, taking a 3-2 lead on run-scoring singles from Ivy McBeth and Gabby Kerr. But the Heralds responded with authority in the fifth. Five hits—including Lagoa’s three-run double—helped Saint John reclaim control of the game with an 8-3 lead.
Isabelle Holler went the distance in the circle for the Heralds. The right-hander scattered 10 hits over seven innings, allowing five runs (three earned) while striking out four and walking one.
Katie Byers pitched a complete game for Jackson-Milton, but was tagged with the loss after allowing 10 runs on 16 hits.
Saint John’s offense was relentless throughout the night, racking up 16 hits as a team. Rylee Schiedel, Maddie Holler, Caitlyn Carney, Rylee Frasure, and Bella Brent all had multi-hit games. On the basepaths, the Heralds were just as aggressive—swiping eight total bases, with Lagoa and Brent leading the way.
Jackson-Milton tallied 10 hits of their own, with Joslyn Cellars, Grace Johns, and McBeth each recording two. McBeth, Kerr, and Amani Yasin each drove in a run for the Bluejays. Defensively, Jackson-Milton played a clean game with no errors. Catcher Charly Estes led the way with 10 fielding chances.
With the win, the Heralds advance to the OHSAA District finals, where they will take on the Chalker Wildcats on May 21, 2025 in Jefferson.