Tag Archive for: Featured

WATTS & TOTH STAND NEXT TO EACH OTHER IN AAC HONORS

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Before the season started, softball fans speculated that the AAC would be one of the most talented conferences in the state of Ohio and now that the conference season has concluded, it didn’t disappoint.  Canfield and Austintown Fitch found themselves gridlocked at the top of the conference yet again.  Both teams took one game from the other with Fitch winning 5-0, and Canfield taking a 2-1 contest.  With the teams tied, the conference didn’t have to find a way to separate the two aces that have dominated the rest of the area. Malena Toth and Sydnie Watts would share conference player of the year for the second year in a row.  The rest of the conference honors were riddled with talent.  First team All AAC featured 5 Fitch players, and 4 from Canfield. Howland was able to devote 2 players on first team while Boardman added 1.

FULL AAC TEAMS

FIRST TEAM 

FITCH

Kylie Folkwein

Ayla Ray

Sydnie Watts

Abby Toth

Kaliana Ray

BOARDMAN 

Tori Strines

CANFIELD

Malena Toth

Leah Figueroa

Jenna Triveri

Marina Koenig

HOWLAND 

Alyssa Massucci

Brooke Tatar

WARREN HARDING

Azarrah Phillips

SECOND TEAM

FITCH 

Morgan Roby

Samantha Severn

BOARDMAN

Alex Ward

Mikayla Rivera

Maddie Wymer

CANFIELD

Sydney Lutz

Caylee Ortiz

Faith Morell

HOWLAND 

Maya Kubanscek

Madison Schmitz

WARREN HARDING 

Breasia Butler

Delano’s Riley

INDIANS GOING BACK TO DISTRICTS

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SALINEVILLE OH- The Southern Local softball team is making district tournaments a habit, clinching their spot for the second year in a row with a heart-stopping 6-5 win in 12 innings over East Canton. This victory not only marked their second consecutive Division IV sectional title but also their second triumph over the Hornets in just under a week, having previously bested them 12-7.

Now standing at a 10-7 record, Southern is set to face the sixth-seeded Southington in the Dalton district semifinals at 5 p.m. Monday, looking to avenge last year’s 10-0 semifinal loss.

Alexis Ensinger was a workhorse in the circle, hurling 176 pitches across the complete game, fanning 13, and allowing no walks. Makenna Jones was a standout at the plate, knocking three hits, driving in two runs, and scoring two herself.

The drama peaked in the 12th inning when Southern pushed across three runs to secure a 6-3 lead, sparked by Gianna Pecorelli’s leadoff single and a crucial two-run single by Jones. A defensive mishap later allowed Jones to dash home, widening the gap.

East Canton nearly scripted a comeback in their half of the 12th, slicing the deficit to just one run, but Ensinger closed it out with her 13th strikeout.

The game had its twists and turns earlier too, with Southern initially jumping ahead 3-0 in the second inning, thanks to a mix of errors and walks by East Canton. However, the Hornets clawed back in the third, leveling the score at 3-3 following a series of hits, including a key two-run single by Hannah Spencer.

Meira Rice, despite a gritty 153-pitch outing for East Canton that included eight strikeouts, took the loss.

With their eyes now set on the next challenge, Southern Local isn’t slowing down. They’re back in action today, hosting Beaver Local at 5 p.m., riding the momentum of their playoff success.

BLUE JAYS SET UP AN ALL MVAC DISTRICT SEMIFINAL

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NORTH JACKSON OH- Jackson-Milton clinched the sectional finals with a decisive 8-3 victory over the Cardinal Huskies on Wednesday. They turned the game around in the second inning, racking up five runs to seize a 5-1 advantage. Emma Johns delivered a clutch two-run double that really blew the inning wide open.

Macayla Thornhill was solid in the circle, letting through just three runs on seven hits across the full seven innings, and bagging five strikeouts along the way.

At the bat, Jackson-Milton was on fire, hammering out 12 hits. Maggie Simkins and Thornhill led the charge with three hits apiece, while Johns, stepping up as shortstop, knocked in two crucial runs. Ivy McBeth and Gabby Kerr also put in strong performances, adding multiple hits to the team’s tally.

With this win, Jackson-Milton sets up a thrilling district semifinals showdown against MVAC champs McDonald. The rematch promises to be a nail-biter and is scheduled for Monday at 4:00 PM in Badger.

FALCONS MERCY RULE MAYFIELD IN FIRST STEP TO DISTRICTS

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By Ty Bartell

AUSTINTOWN OH-  The Austintown-Fitch Falcons softball team delivered another dominant performance Wednesday evening, defeating the visiting Mayfield Wildcats 18-0 in five innings in the OHSAA Division 1 Sectional Final. With the win, the top-seeded Falcons advance to the District Semifinal, where they will face the #18 seeded Green Bulldogs, who advanced to the district-semis in the tournament by defeating both Massillon Washington and Madison.

Falcons pitcher and Georgia-Tech commit Sydnie Watts set the tone early, striking out all three Mayfield batters she faced in the top of the first inning. In the bottom half, Kaliana Ray led off with a single and stole two bases before Ayla Ray followed with an RBI bunt single. Abby Toth added a two-run home run, her third of the season and second game consecutively with a long ball, to put Fitch up 3-0! Watts then doubled, and pinch runner Veda Burt later scored on a two-run home run by Samantha Severn, giving the Falcons a 5-0 lead after one.

The second inning saw Watts hit the first two Mayfield batters with pitches, despite only hitting one batter previously all season, but then recovered by striking out the next three Wildcats to end the top of the inning. In the bottom half, Kaliana Ray again sparked the offense with a bunt single and two more stolen bases. Ayla Ray then hit a two-run home run, upping her team lead totals in both homeruns (14) and RBI (48) this season. Meanwhile, Morgan Roby added an RBI double, giving the Falcons an 8-0 lead.
The Falcons continued to dominate in the third inning, scoring 10 runs with RBI doubles from Ayla Ray, Sydnie Watts, and Samantha Severn. Abby Toth contributed an RBI single, and Lily Stevens scored on a steal. With a commanding 18-0 lead, the mercy rule was in effect with one and a half innings remaining.

Senior Vita Kelty came on in relief of Watts, pitching the final two innings to secure the shutout win and striking out two batters. Watts and Kelty combined for the victory, with Watts striking out eight over three innings and Kelty fanning a pair.

Ayla Ray led the Falcons’ offense with five RBI, a home run, a double, and a single. Abby Toth nearly hit for the cycle and collected three RBI (22) , while Samantha Severn added two RBI (19) with a home run (4) and a double. Rachel Spalding chipped in with two RBI (8) on two singles, and Sydnie Watts contributed an RBI (34) on two doubles.
As the tournament progresses from the Sectional round, all remaining games will be played at neutral sites. The Youngstown State University Softball Complex will host both the District and Regional rounds. The Falcons will take on Green in the District Semifinal on Monday, May 13, with the first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. Stay updated with Austintown-Fitch softball all season long with live games, scores, stats, and stories on YSN!

G MEN DUST CHALKER

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SOUTHINGTON OH- Garfield made quick work of Chalker, clinching a 10-0 victory on Wednesday, ignited by a six-run barrage in the first inning. Eric Geddes and Brandyn Bogucki delivered key hits, driving in runs, while a couple of walks and a costly error allowed more runs to cross the plate. Despite a quieter second inning with Aidan Hill grounding out, they tacked on another run in the third thanks to Alex Carter’s groundout.

Alex Carter was solid on the mound, tossing six scoreless innings, scattering three hits, and racking up seven strikeouts for Garfield. On the flip side, Chalker’s Zach Pack struggled, enduring two tough innings where he surrendered eight runs.

At the plate, Bogucki was a standout, bagging two hits and sharing the RBI spotlight with Hill, each knocking in two runs. Leo Grandizio showed off his eye, working the count for three walks and joining Carter with multiple stolen bases, contributing to Garfield’s aggressive 10 stolen bases on the day. The team also showed discipline at the plate, drawing 12 walks in total.

With sharp fielding including a double play, Garfield rounded out a dominant performance, ensuring they kept the pressure on both offensively and defensively.

CARDS PUT ON SENIOR DAY SHOW

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CANFIELD OH- Michael Patellis was the star of the show, driving in four runs on two hits to propel Canfield past Alliance 14-8 on Wednesday. On Senior Day, Patellis showcased his versatility by playing every fielding position, starting with a bang by tripling and doubling in the fourth inning to rack up four RBIs.

Canfield found themselves in a 5-0 hole early but didn’t let that set the tone. Alliance initially charged ahead in the second inning with James and Craig bringing in runs and White knocking in two more with a groundout.

The game took a dramatic turn in the fourth when Canfield erupted for 10 runs on seven hits, with Patellis’s triple being the highlight, giving them a commanding 14-5 lead.

Sean Harrington snagged the win in relief for Canfield, allowing just one unearned run over two innings. On the flip side, Reece from Alliance took the loss, giving up three runs in his one-inning stint. Canfield’s Trent Rarick and Alliance’s Gress started on the mound, facing early challenges.

Canfield’s bats were hot, totaling 12 hits. Patellis, David Murphy, Enzo Cocca, Joey Gabriel, and Dylan Mancini each had a multi-hit game, with Tanner Stricko drawing three walks to lead the team’s disciplined approach at the plate. The team also showed their speed, swiping five bases, including two by Murphy.

Next, Canfield takes their momentum to a matchup against McDonald on Friday.

LATE SCORING LIFTS LOUISVILLE TO VICTORY

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ALLIANCE OH- Louisville snatched a late-game victory from Marlington with a 3-2 win on Wednesday, thanks to a clutch sixth-inning rally. The game was knotted at two when Ty Paumier stepped up and delivered a decisive RBI single.

Pitchers from both teams were in fine form, with Louisville’s staff racking up six strikeouts and Marlington’s pitchers notching five. Marlington initially took the lead in the fifth, sparked by Travis Hoffmeyer’s two-run triple.

The Leopards responded in the sixth when Owen Burick smashed a two-run double to even things up, setting the stage for Paumier’s go-ahead single.

Zach Root was on the mound for Louisville, turning in a solid six-inning stint, giving up just six hits and two unearned runs while striking out five. Sam Yoder was tagged with the loss for Marlington after yielding three runs over six innings.

At the plate, Burick was instrumental, driving in two runs and collecting a hit. Teammates Cole Miller, Bryce Graziani, and Paumier also contributed hits. For Marlington, Hoffmeyer’s bat did the heavy lifting with two RBIs.

Louisville is set to host Marlington again on Thursday, setting the stage for another tight matchup.

Game Photos HERE: https://ysn.smugmug.com/5-8-24-bb-louisville-marlington/5-8-bb-louisville-marlington/100EOS1D

BLUE DEVILS ONE STEP CLOSER TO A TROPHY

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BERLIN CENTER OH- Katie Byers was the hero for Western Reserve as she powered her team to a commanding 13-4 win over Windham on Wednesday. Byers was on fire, driving in five runs with three hits, including a bases-clearing single in the second and a two-run homer in the fifth.

On the mound, Byers was just as dominant, striking out 10 while allowing four runs across seven innings. Her control wavered a bit with seven walks, but she kept the hits down to just five.

The action started early for Western Reserve, scoring right off the bat in the first inning thanks to walks drawn by Lindsay Jones and a timely single from Sophia Reigle. The team really turned up the heat in the second inning with Byers’ three-run single, and they didn’t look back from there.

Chloeigh Endsley doubled to add another run in the third, making it 6-2. The fifth inning saw Western Reserve seal the deal with seven runs, highlighted by Reigle’s two-run homer and Byers’ second blast of the day.

Windham’s Ka’neese Cunningham, despite a tough day in the circle surrendering 13 runs, managed to contribute with a bat, driving in two runs.

Western Reserve showcased a balanced attack at the plate with 14 hits total. Aubrey Kutsko, Maylin Hartzell, Reigle, Allison Jones, and Caylee Selley all had multiple hits, helping their team maintain pressure throughout the game.

Defensively, both teams were on point with no errors. For Windham, Sydnie Sweet was busy in the field with the most chances.

Next up, Western Reserve is set to face Canton Central Catholic in the district semifinals at Badger High School, Monday at 5:30 PM.

POLAND BACK IN TO DISTRICTS

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Poland stormed through their Sectional Final against  United, cruising to a decisive 17-2 victory in a game that wrapped up in just five innings.

Poland’s bats were blazing, racking up a whopping 22 hits. Lily McDonald was a major force, smashing a double and a home run among her three hits and driving in four runs. Elianna Thompson and Leanne Williams each contributed with four singles, with Thompson also notching three RBIs. Senior shortstop Mary Brant added three hits, including a double, and matched McDonald with three RBIs. Kylie Hudran and Leanna Boccieri each put up two hits, with Hudran bringing in a couple of runs.

In the circle, Olivia Horn delivered a solid performance, pitching all five innings, allowing five hits and fanning five batters.

For United, Matilyn Zines handled pitching duties but struggled against Poland’s offense, though she did manage a double at the plate. Joshlynn Irey hit safely twice in three tries, while Madelyn Lucas drove in both runs for the Golden Eagles.

Next up, Poland is set to face the winner between South Range and Canton South on May 14th at 4:30 PM, at South Range High School for a District Semi-Final showdown.

MOHAWK FINDS THEIR MOJO

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NEW CASTLE PA- Mohawk rolled past West Middlesex 11-3 on Wednesday, fueled by a massive seven-run burst in the sixth inning. Reagan Magno kicked things off with an RBI single, followed by Carmela Johnson’s RBI double, a couple of costly errors by West Middlesex, Maya McGreal’s two-run single, and Gianna Pezzuolo’s sac fly capped the rally.

Earlier, the Warriors had grabbed a 4-3 lead in the third thanks to Aricka Young’s two-run double and Lydia Cole’s RBI single. Magno was solid on the mound, tossing a complete game shutout with eight Ks, allowing just three hits.

At the plate, Mohawk was on fire, racking up 12 hits. Young was clutch with three RBIs and going 2-for-4. Alivia Hare had a hot bat too, going 3-for-4 to lead the team in hits, while Magno added two hits to her pitching credits.