Southeast District Division II Tournament
No. 6 Circleville 6, No. 3 Hillsboro 4
ATHENS — Circleville made things happen in a big sixth inning to upset No. 3 Hillsboro 6-4 Wednesday.
“We knew we only had a few chances left in the game and we knew we had to put pressure on the defense,” Circleville coach Hayden Ellis said. “We knew their pitcher was going to come in throwing strikes and that we had to put pressure on their defense to be able to score runs.”
Trailing 4-1 entering the sixth inning, Ally Thornsley led off with a single and took second on an error. Claire Davis then drew a walk. Audrey Cowdery laid down a bunt that, as the Indians’ defense picked their play, nearly ended in an out for the Tigers as Thornsley got caught in a run-down coming around third. After a couple back-and-forths, she broke for home, a bad throw saw her slide in safely and Davis score behind her. Cowdery wound up at third on the play with the Tigers now trailing 4-3.
“Ally Thornsley came in and was a spark plug for us and got us started in that inning and then came up huge in a big rundown situation,” Ellis said.
Trying to score on a wild pitch, Cowdery was tagged out at home for the first out and a strikeout had the Tigers down to their last out of the inning.
Gabby McConnell came through with her third hit of the night to keep the inning going and Makaylee Holbrook followed with a single of her own.
Ella Michael then smacked a shot to the left of the centerfield scoreboard that was about six inches from leaving the park. It ended up a double that brought McConnell and Holbrook in and gave CHS a 5-4 lead.
Maddie Blakeman followed that with a single to left to score Michael for a two-run advantage before the inning ended.
“We were putting the ball in play and we had to make the defense work. We showed a lot of grittiness, a lot of effort and a lot of heart in those last few innings,” Ellis said.
The Tigers got the Indians out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning but made it interesting in the seventh.
Hillsboro’s leadoff hitter reach on an error. After a popup to McConnell on the mound, a fielder’s choice resulted in runners on the corners. McConnell then recorded her sixth strikeout of the game.
With Hillsboro’s star pitcher and hitter Camryn Spruell up next, the Tigers took no chances and issued an intentional walk – the third time for Spruell in four plate appearances – to load the bases. The strategy paid off as McConnell caught the next batter looking to send the Tigers to their first district final since 2009.
“She came to play,” Ellis said of her senior pitcher. “She’s so humble and she carries herself so well and we have so much belief in her as a pitcher and a player.
“She’s been phenomenal for us this year.”
McConnell gave up the four runs on seven hits and struck out seven. Of the four walks she issued, three were intentional walks to Spruell.
It was rough going early for the Tigers as Spruell was living up to the hype. The Ball State commit struck out nine of the first 10 batters she faced – giving up only a single to McConnell in the second.
The fourth started with Cowdery drawing a walk but, after the 10th strikeout of the game, she was caught stealing.
McConnell then came up with the Tigers’ second hit – a shot to the left of the 210-feet sign in right-center for a 1-0 CHS lead.
Ellis knew her senior had it in her for the big hit. “I told her yesterday, before the game, ‘You’re going to hit one out tomorrow,’” she said.
The lead didn’t last long as Hillsboro had gone up 2-1 before the first out was recorded and led 4-1 by the time the inning was over.
Spruell finished the night giving up eight hits to the Tigers and three walks while striking out 15.
The Tigers return to Ohio University Friday for an unofficial Pickaway County Night at the district finals.
No. 6 Circleville will play No. 2 Unioto (a 4-1 winner over No. 7 Fairland Wednesday) following the other district championship game between No. 4 Logan Elm and No. 1 seed Sheridan. The first game starts at 4 p.m.
