Lady Monarch outfielder Abbey Strahm draws a bead on a fly ball during the victory over Olentangy that gave MHS the outright OCC Cardinal Division crown.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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During the first week or so of the 2024 season, some folks might have been pretty worried about Marysville High School’s varsity softball squad.
The Lady Monarchs were struggling with an uncharacteristic 2-6 record as a number of new faces were figuring out their roles in a program that was hit hard by 2023 graduations.
“The first week of the season was pretty rough,” agreed senior third baseman AJ McAdow, who was one of the new faces in the starting lineup.
Things started to change a bit after the team returned from its spring break trip to Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
“After we got back from our trip, we started to gain confidence and came together as a family,” said McAdow.
The change has been stunning and the team reached a high note with Thursday’s 12-1 victory over Olentangy.
Coupled with Wednesday’s 4-0 triumph at Olentangy Berlin, the Lady Monarchs clinched the outright championship in the Ohio Capital Conference’s Cardinal Division.
It’s the sixth consecutive year in which MHS has claimed divisional bragging rights.
“Once the girls settled in, we started to roll,” said head coach Jennifer Segner-Maxwell.
Since that slow start, the Lady Monarchs have won 13 of 14 games.
They stand at 15-7 overall and finished the conference portion of their schedule with a 9-1 record.
The Braves plated their only run during the visitors’ portion of the opening inning.
Nola Tracy drew a lead-off walk from MHS pitcher Josie Bumgarner.
Tracy stole second and went to third on a Marysville throwing error.
With two down, Petra Dissett gave Olentangy the upper hand with an RBI single.
Bumgarner and her defense kept the Lady Braves off the scoreboard for the next four innings.
The MHS hurler allowed six hits and struck out two.
McAdow did her part by snaring a trio of sharp line drives at the hot corner.
The Lady Monarchs began to assert themselves with five runs in the home half of the second.
Camryn Harbold blasted a lead-off double and eventually motored to third on a fielder’s choice.
A free pass by Olentangy pitcher Abi Custodio to Abbey Strahm put runners at the corners.
MHS then scored all of its runs with two out.
McAdow singled in a run.
Sienna Hutchins walked to load the bases.
Maya Segner smacked a double that gave the home team a 3-1 lead.
Ella Wood’s single drove in two more runs for a 5-1 Marysville margin.
MHS put the game well beyond reach with five additional scores in the bottom of the third.
Harbold, Bumgarner and Jaiden Hutchins all singled. Hutchins drove in a run with her base hit.
Bumgarner was replaced on the bases by courtesy runner Jillian Rausch.
Strahm laced a sharp single and drove in a run.
An error on the play allowed the third score of the inning to cross the plate.
Segner, facing relief pitcher Addi Hulshof, singled in a pair of runs that gave Marysville a 10-1 advantage.
MHS’ final two scores came in the home half of the fourth.
Harbold led off with a walk.
Two batters later, Jaiden Hutchins drilled a two-run homer that gave the Lady Monarchs their 12-1 lead.
Bumgarner retired the Braves in order during the top of the fifth to conclude the run-rule contest.
Marysville finished the game with 11 hits.
“We’ve been hitting the ball well,” said Segner-Maxwell. “Once we got settled in the season, the girls have done well.”
McAdow said she was happy the team was able to win an OCC divisional championship during her final season.
“It means a lot, especially since we seniors were able to continue the program’s legacy,” she said. “I think it’s something the underclassmen will continue to do.”
Olen. 100 00-1 6 1
MHS 055 2x-12 11 2
WP: Bumgarner
LP: Custodio
The Marysville junior varsity team won the OCC Cardinal Division title by defeating Olentangy High School, 15-0.
Kylie Levings was the winning pitcher. She struck out seven and yielded five hits.
The offense was led by Abigail Bryant and Savannah Jenkins, each with two hits.