Teays Valley pounded out a dozen hits and asserted itself over the middle innings on Monday to record a 9-2 Division I Central District semifinal win over host Upper Arlington.
The ninth-seeded Vikings (19-8) advance to a district final on Wednesday at top-seeded Watkins Memorial (29-1), a 3-0 winner over Groveport in its district semifinal, with first pitch slated for 5 p.m.
Seventh-seeded Upper Arlington (22-5) reached the scoreboard first with a run in the second, but the Vikings eventually seized the lead for good with a three-run fourth.
Morgan Cantrell led off the fourth with a double to left, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly to right off the bat of Kyra Darnell to tie the game.
Faith Thompson worked a walk and advanced to third on a two-out double to left courtesy of Kennedy Cauger.
Kadance Fraley then singled to left to drive in both runners.
The Vikings effectively put away the district semifinal win with a five-run fifth.
Emma Helwagen worked a walk, advanced to second on a bunt from Alyssa Brown and scored on a fielder’s choice hit into by Cantrell.
After a walk to Darnell, Thompson singled to center to drive in both runners and put the Vikings ahead 6-1.
Reagan Mengerink then played long ball over the left field fence with a two-run shot.
The Golden Bears scored a run in their half of the fifth to cut the Vikings’ lead to 8-2, but that’s as close Upper Arlington was able to come for the rest of the evening.
Helwagen, Cantrell, Mengerink and Cauger each recorded a pair of hits, and Darnell, Thompson, Mengerink and Fraley drove in a pair of runs apiece.
Madison Cline earned the win for the Vikings, scattering eight hits and a pair of earned runs over a complete game outing. She walked a batter and struck out two in the 92-pitch outing. Cline threw a first-pitch strike to 20 of the 29 batters she faced.
Amanda-Clearcreek 3,
Elgin 0
Paige Alford threw a two-hitter and drove in the first run of a Division III Central District semifinal on Monday, sending Amanda-Clearcreek to a 3-0 win over host Elgin.
The A-C senior threw a first-pitch strike to 23 of the 26 batters she faced in the 94-pitch complete game effort. Alford walked three batters and struck out 14.
Amanda-Clearcreek broke through a scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the sixth.
Liberty Hooper lined a one-out single to center and Logann Julian followed with a single down the left field line.
After both runners advanced on a passed ball, Alford singled to right to drive in Hopper with the first run of the game.
Megan Tooill followed with a single to center that plated Julian.
The Aces tacked on an insurance run in the seventh. Abby Carver laced a double to right with one out and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Keirsten Williams.
Hooper and Alford each had two hits apiece for the fourth-seeded Aces (16-5), who are slated to host a district final on Wednesday at 5 p.m. against sixth-seeded Johnstown (16-11). The Johnnies held off second-seeded North Union for an 8-7 win in its district semifinal.
Athens 7,
Logan Elm 5
Athens seized the lead for good with a three-run fifth, then tacked on two crucial insurance runs in the sixth on Monday to hold off visiting Logan Elm 7-5 in a Division II Southeast District semifinal.
Carly King doubled and drove in three runs, Callena Wiget singled and drove in two runs and Avree Entler contributed a pair of hits.
The Braves conclude the season at 13-11.
Baseball
Athens 2,
Circleville 1
Evan Justice tripled and scored for the lone Circleville hit on Monday in a 2-1 Division II Southeast District sectional semifinal loss to visiting Athens.
Max Brooks had the sacrifice fly to left that drove in Justice in the fourth.
The Tigers conclude the season at 13-15.
Teays Valley 4,
Grove City 1
Teays Valley took the lead for good with a three-run third on Monday to record a 4-1 non-league win over host Grove City.
Peyton Weiler went 2-for-3, drove in two runs and scored and AJ Moniaci was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Matt Farmer tossed a complete game and checked the Greyhounds to five hits and an earned run. He walked a batter and struck out four.
The Vikings (17-9) host Olentangy on Wednesday for a Division I Central District sectional final.
Copyright 2021 SportingPumpkin.com. Any unauthorized republication of content on this website is prohibited by law.