Gabby McConnell threw a three-hitter on Monday to help lift Circleville to a 3-1 Southeast District sectional softball semifinal win over visiting River Valley.
McConnell allowed an unearned run, walked a batter and struck out seven.
“That was probably one of Gabby’s most complete efforts,” Circleville coach Dave Truex said. “Gabby didn’t walk hardly anyone and she stayed ahead in the count.
“She only allowed three singles – one in the second, fourth and sixth – and River Valley shouldn’t have even scored.”
The Raiders scored their unearned run in the sixth, but the Tigers responded in their half of the inning with three runs.
Alyssa Liston worked a walk with one out and scored on a double to left center off the bat of Cara Cooper to tie the game. Katie Folkes followed with a double to left that scored Cooper with the go-ahead run.
Following a fly out to right by Ella Michael that advanced Folkes to third, McConnell singled past the shortstop to score Folkes.
Truex credited a better approach by the Tigers at the plate for helping to lead to their success in the sixth.
“We’ve been concentrating on our hitting more, because we’ve been getting ourselves out more than the other pitcher has been,” Truex said. “We really had five or six good at-bats earlier in the game where we saw eight or nine pitches and made River Valley’s pitcher work. I think that led to her starting to wear out a bit in the sixth.”
The Tigers (13-6) are slated to take on the winner of Vinton County and Waverly on Thursday in a sectional final at a site to be determined.
Logan Elm 11,
Fairfield Union 4
Logan Elm produced 17 hits and scored nine runs in its first two at-bats on Monday to defeat host Fairfield Union 11-4 in a Division II Southeast District sectional semifinal.
The Braves jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first. Lynsay Vanhoose led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Avree Entler. Jacie Clifton singled later in the inning to knock in courtesy runner Otterbaucher. Clifton and Maraya Neff both scored on later on one of Fairfield Union’s six errors on the night.
Vanhoose doubled and Entler singled to ignite the Braves in the second with Vanhoose and courtesy runner Otterbaucher both scoring on a single off the bat of Carly King.
Neff reached on a fielder’s choice and a dropped fly ball on a drive hit to the fence by Taylor Fowler chased two more runs home. Kylie Smith capped the inning by singling in Fowler.
Clifton was a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI, Entler went 4-for-5 and Vanhoose was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a solo homer to lead the Braves. Fowler went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Smith added a 2-for-4 day and drove in a run.
King tossed a complete game in the win for the Braves (12-9), who will take on Sheridan or Meigs on Thursday at a site to be determined.
Regular-season
Westfall 7,
Adena 6
Westfall scored four runs in its final at-bat on Monday to walk-off with a 7-6 Scioto Valley Conference win over visiting Adena that denied the Warriors a share of the conference title with Unioto.
Olivia Dumm was 3-for-4 and scored and Anna Snyder went 3-for-4 and scored. Sydney Fuller was 2-for-3 and Grace Long went 2-for-4, scored and drove in a run. Makayla Cook hit a three-run home run.
Dumm earned the win in relief, allowing three hits and striking out five.
The Mustangs (14-8, 9-5) host Valley on Thursday in a sectional final.
Amanda-Clearcreek 8, Fredericktown 7
Regular-season baseball
Teays Valley 9,
Liberty Union 0
Teays Valley swept the season-series from Mid-State League Buckeye Division champion Liberty Union on Monday with a 9-0 road win.
The Vikings opened the game with singles by Peyton Weiler, Tommy Williams and Noah Morbitzer to load the bases.
A.J. Moniaci then grounded out to first to knock in Weiler. Landon Guisinger followed with a single to short right field to plate Williams with the final run of the inning.
In the third, Guisinger squeezed in Williams to put the Vikings ahead 3-0.
Teays Valley tacked on two more runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth.
Weiler went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored and Williams was a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Guisinger went 2-for-2 and drove in a pair of runs.
Adam Trisler earned the win by yielding just two hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out seven.
The Vikings (13-6, 9-4) host Gahanna on Tuesday for a non-league game.
Westfall 8,
Adena 3
Westfall used a seven-run third on Monday to claim an 8-3 Scioto Valley Conference win over visiting Adena.
The Mustangs entered the third with a 1-0 lead and started putting the game away with a Bryce Wickline single to left that scored Bryant Coker and Hunter Wright followed by a double by Dillon Walisa to left that scored both Hunter McCoy and Wickline to take a 5-0 lead.
Later in the inning, an RBI single to left by Ashton Nunemaker that scored Walisa was followed by a double to right off the bat of Peyton Weiss that chased home both Trent Walters and Nunemaker.
Walters paced the Mustangs by going 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored and McCoy was 2-for-4 and scored.
Weiss tossed a complete game to earn the win, allowing eight hits and three earned runs. He walked one and struck out six.
The Mustangs (7-11, 5-9) travel to West Jefferson on Tuesday for a non-conference game.
Sheridan 5,
Logan Elm 2
Sheridan scored three runs in its first at-bat and never trailed on Monday in a 5-2 non-league win over host Logan Elm.
Carson Summers went 2-for-4 and drove in a run and Kyle Rine was 2-for-3 for the Braves (6-14), who host Berne Union on Tuesday to continue non-league action.
Amanda-Clearcreek 9, Chillicothe 3
Amanda-Clearcreek scored seven runs in the third and fourth on Monday on its way to a 9-3 non-league win over host Chillicothe.
Ryan Chambers went 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, Peyton Cassley was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored, Trent Hedges went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Cade Young tripled and drove in a pair of runs.
Cassley was one of four pitchers used by the Aces on Monday and was credited with the win.