Wednesday, May 14th, 2014

Indians beat Bulldogs in 11 innings

Division II Sectional Softball

By Gary R. Rasberry
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Celina's Alexis Zacharias stretches to tag out a Shawnee runner during Tuesday's Division II sectional softball game in Shawnee Township. The Bulldogs lost 7-6 in 11 innings to finish their season 11-13.

SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP - Kierstan Courtney's RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning scored McKayla Wolff as Shawnee outlasted a determined group from Celina for a 7-6 win in the Division II sectional.
The Indians (19-6) make the short trek to Elida on Friday for the sectional final. Celina ends the season at 11-13.
As the game went along, Celina coach Nicole Driggs began to wonder if this was a flashback to the teams' 15-inning marathon four years ago in Shawnee Township.
"This is the second time we've done (extra innings) up here. My senior, Kaity Kuhn, was a freshman," Driggs said. "We have some memories (and) it's kind of a joke (of) 'How long will we go tonight?' Twenty-six innings between two games."  
The game started as a pitching duel between Celina's Melody Donovan and Shawnee's Kay Shick. Through seven, Donovan allowed just three hits, but all three came in the second inning as the Indians scored three times to go up 3-0.
Shick kept Celina scoreless through five innings before Donovan doubled in Alexis Zacharias in the sixth.
In the seventh, Shick got the first out but walked Carly Post. Steph Walter grounded to third, but the force-out throw to second was late to put runners on first and second. Kuhn tied it up with a double and then came home on Callie Vogel's double. Shick left the mound as Alyssa Windau came on to get the final two outs.
"The seventh inning was a nice rally for the team," Driggs said. "We were stringing hits together, which we have struggled."
Donovan got the first two outs in the bottom of the inning, but Wolff doubled. Hannah Taylor sent the game into extra innings with an RBI single.
After a scoreless eighth, the Bulldogs looked ready to head home with the win with two runs in the ninth, as Zacharias's RBI double scored Vogel and Barga singled in Zacharias. Shawnee, though, kept the game going with two runs in the bottom of the ninth as Courtney tripled in Wolff and Shick.
Donovan, who has been hampered with a back injury that had limited her outings, kept on rolling with a scoreless 10th and a pitch count reaching near 180 pitches.
"It's interesting. You would think 'Okay, we have another pitcher (Zacharias).' Mel has struggled at times to get seven innings in," Driggs said. "But I know my defense was going to be at its best with (Donovan) on the mound. I saw her fight. She wasn't finished. The thoughts were there to get (Zacharias) ready quickly, but I felt (Donovan) pitched this far, let's see what she can do to finish this out."
"Both pitchers did well throughout the course of the game," Shawnee co-coach John Young said. "Through seven innings, that's a 4-3, 4-4 game. They (Donovan and Shick) pitched well. It was an advantage for us to go to another pitcher and give them a different look considering we faced them last week. ... It came down to Kay pitched a whole game, and then Alyssa pitched a whole game and Donovan had to pitch two (games)."
Windau kept Celina off the board in the top of the 11th as Donovan returned to face the top of the Shawnee order. Wolff led off with a walk, but Donovan quickly retired the next two batters to get to Courtney, who kept her at-bat alive by fouling off several pitches, the last one down the first-base line that was barely foul. The next pitch, however, stayed in fair territory as Wolff rounded third and tapped home plate to end the game.
"We've been battling all year to take it the other way (go opposite field)," said Shawnee co-coach Eric Truxal. "We've been working hard on it. It gives me satisfaction to see (Courtney) come through like that."
Driggs was proud of the team's effort.
"I asked them to lay their hearts on the field today, and they did that," Driggs said.
Seniors Kuhn and Barga were joined by Zacharias, Vogel and Donovan in collecting two hits each in the game.
Courtney was the lone Shawnee player to have a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Celina's Melody Donovan threw 10 2/3 innings before Shawnee scored in the bottom of the 11th to defeat the Bulldogs 7-6 in the Division II softball sectional in Shawnee Township.

Additional online stories on this date
COLDWATER - The district will spend more than a quarter of a million dollars next year to put new technology in the hands of students and teachers. [More]
Nicholas Schwieterman in prison for traffic crash that killed four
A former Chickasaw man serving 24 years in prison for a 2008 quadruple traffic fatality could get a trial after a U.S. appeals court recently upheld a claim that his attorneys were ineffective. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Disease outbreaks reported in Ohio
WAPAKONETA - Auglaize County health officials are looking into a suspected case of the mumps - an illness confirmed or probable in 342 cases in Ohio since January.
ROCKFORD - A Parkway High School science teacher on Tuesday shared with board members her concerns with the new school assessments piloted this year in conjunction with Common Core standards.
Parsons stepping down after 16 years in position
WAPAKONETA - Auglaize County Health Commissioner Charlotte Parsons is proud of the three community health assessments completed during her 16 years at the helm.
NEW BREMEN - Village council members Tuesday night approved the purchase of a residential property for possible future development.
The home at 322
CELINA - County officials were pleased with the low bids received for a $2.3 million resurfacing project on Burkettsville-St. Henry Road and Frahm Pike.
CELINA - A Mercer County Sheriff's Office program geared toward apprehending heroin users netted its first arrest Tuesday night.
Derek C. Sutter, 22, 5204 Shore Drive, Celina, was arrested following a 6:10 p.m. traffic stop near the intersection of U.S. 127 and Johnston Road, south of Celina.
ROCKFORD - Parkway Local Schools finances are predicted to remain stable if future renewal levies pass.
Treasurer Debbie Pierce on Tuesday presente
Division III Sectional Softball
LIMA - The Coldwater softball team fought until the finish but came up short in a 5-2 loss to Lima Central Catholic Tuesday in Division III sectional play at Faurot Park.
Midwest Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships: Day One
COLDWATER - The Midwest Athletic Conference track meet got underway Tuesday night at Cavalier Stadium as finals were contested in nine field events and the two 4x800-meter relays.
ST. HENRY - St. Henry improved its record to 23-2 and clinched a share of the Midwest Athletic Conference title by beating Fort Recovery 5-2 Tuesday at the Wally Post Athletic Complex.
Tuesday's Local Roundup
Compiled by Colin Foster and
Gary R. Rasberry
Max Huber's suicide squeeze bunt scored pinch-runner Sam Bornhorst in the bottom of the fifth inning to propel Minster past Versailles 3-2 in MAC baseball action on Tuesday at Hanover Street Park.