Lady Monarch second baseman Maya Segner makes the tag on an Olentangy base runner. MHS defeated the Braves, 7-4, and claimed the outright Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division title after Thomas Worthington upset Olentangy Berlin.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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It wasn’t the prettiest softball game played this season, but when all was said and done, Marysville’s girls can call themselves the Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division champions.
The Lady Monarchs outlasted Olentangy, 7-4, during a contest that featured 12 fielding miscues, nine of which were committed by the Braves.
The victory, plus Thomas Worthington’s 9-8 upset over Olentangy Berlin, resulted in MHS claiming the outright Cardinal Division crown.
Thomas Worthington edged Berlin (which was tied with Marysville for the division lead) in the bottom of the seventh inning on a wild pitch.
MHS improved its overall record to 21-2 and finished the OCC portion of its schedule with a 9-1 mark.
Olentangy Berlin finished as the runner-up at 8-2.
The Lady Monarchs plated runs in all but one inning, but could have done much more damage.
Marysville finished with only six hits and stranded nine runners on base.
MHS took a 2-0 lead after the first two innings.
Abri Schmutz led off the initial frame and reached base on a fielding miscue.
She advanced to second on a passed ball and went to third on a fly ball out by Haley Winans.
Schmutz gave Marysville a 1-0 lead when she scampered home on a wild pitch.
With one down in the home half of the second, Avery Henry was safe on an error.
She later sped around the bases and scored when Schmutz drilled a double.
The Braves cut their deficit in half with a run in the visitors’ portion of the third.
Marysville, however, climbed to a 4-1 lead by plating two scores in the bottom of the inning.
Camryn Harbold was safe on another Olentangy fielding miscue.
She took second on a fielder’s choice out and scored when Tareyn Born blasted a double.
Abby Christian followed with an RBI-producing two-bagger that pushed MHS out to a 4-1 lead.
The Braves once again halved their gap to 4-2 in the top of the fourth.
MHS had the opportunity to break the game open in the bottom of that frame.
With one down, Winans reached base on an error and was replaced by courtesy runner Sienna Hutchinson.
Harbold singled and Abby Gindlesberger drew a walk to load the bases.
A line drive out and a popup, however, left the sacks juiced.
Marysville maintained its 4-2 margin until it tallied a pair of runs in the fifth.
Hannah Pack was safe on an error and went to second on Henry’s sacrifice bunt.
At that time, Pack was lifted for pinch-runner Avery Prohaska.
Pinch-hitter Skyler North reached on another fielding miscue to put runners at the corners.
Prohaska scored on a wild pitch and Winans doubled in a run to give the Lady Monarchs a 6-2 lead.
Olentangy sliced its deficit to 6-4 with a couple of runs in the sixth.
Marysville, however, added an insurance score in the bottom of the inning.
Gindlesberger walked, but was erased at second base when Christian was safe on a fielder’s choice.
Hutchinson once again went in to run the bases.
Pack walked and Henry singled in Hutchinson to give MHS a 7-4 lead.
The Braves got the final out on a fly ball.
A couple of MHS errors put Olentangy runners on base with two down in the top of the seventh,
Christian, however, notched a strikeout to end the game.
Christian started in the circle and pitched four innings for the victory. She allowed two hits, one run (which was earned) and fanned seven.
Born yielded seven hits in three frames and struck out three.
Only two of Marysville’s runs were earned, due to a plethora of Braves errors.
Jaelyn Peterson was Olentangy’s starting hurler. She took the loss.
Allie Whyte pitched in relief.
“We were down after losing to Olentangy Berlin last week,” admitted Marysville head coach Jennifer Segner-Maxwell. “I think we had lost some confidence, but we came back and beat a good Olentangy team (9-8 overall and 4-4 in the conference after the loss).”
MHS spent a great deal of time fouling off pitches.
“I don’t think we picked up the spin of the ball against Peterson at first,” said Segner-Maxwell. “Once we got a few hits, they had to take her out.”
Olen. 001 102 0-4 9 9
MHS 112 021 x-7 6 3
WP: Christian
LP: Peterson
The Marysville JV team clubbed the Jr. Braves, 13-4.
The hitting attack was led by Jordyn Ledley, who finished with four.
Abby Strahm, Ashlynn McAdow, Mia Carder and Kallie Schweinfurth each chipped in with three hits.
Caitlin Rigel went the distance in the circle and notched the win.