Lady Monarch shortstop Lexi Williams can’t get the tag down on a Gahanna base runner who stole second on Tuesday. Also pictured for MHS is Ashley Dunn (13). Marysville rallied for a 7-5 victory. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
If there is one quality the Marysville High School softball team has exhibited so far this season, it’s a sense of calm under fire.
“This is the second straight game we’ve come back to win,” said head coach Jennifer Segner-Maxwell. “These girls don’t panic.”
The coach spoke those words after Tuesday’s 7-5 victory over Gahanna.
MHS rallied from a 4-1 deficit to claim the win.
It was a game that featured two teams that had yet to experience the bitter taste of defeat.
MHS went into the contest with a 4-0 record, while the Lions were 2-0.
Abby Christian, Marysville’s freshman pitcher, was victimized by a defense that committed a trio of errors over the first three innings.
A pair of fielding miscues came in the top of the first, which allowed Gahanna to plate its first run.
The third bobble permitted a run to score in the third frame.
The visitors held a 1-0 lead going into the home half of the first.
MHS tied the game at 1-1 during its initial at-bat.
With one down, Abri Schmutz legged out a bunt single, but was called out at second on a fielder’s choice.
Courtesy runner Chloe Heminger was perched on first (for Christian) when Jalynn Young ripped a base hit.
Lexi Williams singled home the run to deadlock the game.
Gahanna took a 2-1 lead after the second inning and tacked on two more runs in the top of the third.
The Lady Monarchs, however, got back into the game with four runs in the bottom of that inning.
Christian not only tossed a solid game, but led off the third with the first of her two solo homers.
Her initial dinger over the left field fence narrowed Marysville’s deficit to 4-2.
With one down, Williams and Abby Gindlesberger both singled.
Haley Winans was safe on a fielder’s choice and Tareyn Born was issued a two-out free pass.
Hannah Pack singled in a run to pull MHS to within 4-3.
Ashley Dunn followed with a double that pushed Marysville out to a 5-4 lead.
Christian retired the Lions in order in the visitor’s portion of the fourth.
The Lady Monarch pitcher once again led off the bottom of the fourth.
She deposited a pitch by Gahanna starter Lexi Berry over the centerfield fence for a 6-4 Marysville margin.
Young singled and was lifted in favor of Heminger.
At that point, Lola Campbell came on in relief for the Lions.
Heminger moved to third on a fielder’s choice and then scored on Gindlesberger’s sacrifice fly.
Christian kept Gahanna off the scoreboard in the fifth and sixth.
The visitors tallied a consolation run in the top of the seventh.
Christian then induced the final two outs to end the battle.
Segner-Maxwell was pleased with a couple portions of the game.
“Abby pitched well against a good team,” said the coach. “We also moved the ball well (14 hits).”
Christian allowed eight hits, fanned six and walked one.
There is one area, however, that needs work.
“We can’t commit three errors,” said Segner-Maxwell. “We have to clean up our defense.”
Gahanna 112 000 1-5 8 0
MHS 104 200 x-7 14 3
WP-Christian
LP-Berry
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JVs win
The Marysville JV softball team defeated Reynoldsburg, 17-0.
The Monarchs banged out 11 hits.
Maya Segner and Avery Prohaska both had two hits.
Prohaska slammed a three-run home run in the third inning.
Caitlin Rigel pitched a complete game for the win.
She allowed one hit and fanned six.