Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
ATHENS — Wellston showcased dominance from the opening pitch while Wheelersburg turned on the juice late on Wednesday.
The Golden Rockets started fast and never let off the gas as they routed Tuscarawas Valley by an 11-0 final and the Pirates (26-0) turned in timely hits midway though, en route to a 6-1 victory over Piketon, in a pair of Division V regional semifinals.
Now the two teams will square off against one another on Friday with a trip to a state semifinal in Akron on the line. This marks Wheelersburg’s fifth straight regional final appearance while it’s the first for Wellston (21-3) since 1979.
Here’s how both teams punched their tickets to the Elite 8.
Wheelersburg 6, Piketon 1
In Wednesday’s first contest, Piketon (23-4) actually got an early jump. After a fielding error put the lead runner on base in the second, Ava Ricer smacked an RBI double down the right field line to make it a 1-0 ballgame.
The Pirates had an answer, though.
Makenzie Mullins ripped a two-out single and proceeded to score on three straight wild pitches to tie game at 1-1.
From that point forward, it was all Pirates.
Kaylynn Carter took a 2-0, two-out pitch in the bottom of the third and sent it past the center field trees for a solo bomb that put the Pirates ahead 2-1.
“I wanted to be the one to get things started for us. It was a close game and we needed a spark to get our momentum going,” Carter said. “I had to settle more compared to my first at-bat since I was a little jumpy the first time around. But I felt like I had to get something going.”
Piketon got an out on a fielder’s choice in the fourth. The Redstreaks tried to catch Wheelersburg sleeping, but ended up committing a throwing error that allowed a runner to score.
That was followed by an Ava Estep RBI single and, later, a two-run moonshot from Catie Boggs to put the finishing touches on a Pirate victory.
Carter earned the win, throwing a complete game with eight strikeouts while also going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Boggs was 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, and Estep went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
“We came out a little tight in the beginning. We were chasing balls out of the zone and it took some time to settle in,” Wheelersburg coach Teresa Ruby said. “Piketon’s left fielder [Danika Ritchie] played a heck of a game and she deserves a lot of credit for taking some hits away from us. It took us some time, but we finally got some momentum going and put the game away.
“It’s going to be a quick turnaround for us and we know that Wellston has an outstanding pitcher who is going to bring it. One thing we have to do a better job of is controlling our emotions. We were excited to play, but I think that got the best of us in the first couple of innings before we calmed down. Whoever controls their emotions and doesn’t let one play become bigger than what it is will prevail, and hopefully that’s us.”
Wellston 11, Tuscarawas Valley 0
It was a night that Lyla Pittenger will never forget.
After a leadoff single from Maddie Childers and a walk to Hannah Potts, the sophomore began her night by ripping a two-run double into left field that quickly put Wellston ahead 2-0.
She later scored off an RBI single from Karly Rinehart before a sacrifice fly from Kennedi Stevens knocked in another run for a 4-0 lead.
Before Wellston took the field in the bottom of the first, the game was already over.
“We all came out hitting the ball, and that set the tone from the beginning,” Childers said. “My job as the leadoff batter is to get the pitcher working, work the count and get a hit. Every practice, we’re all hitting at least 10 buckets of balls and our goal was to attack early and get ahead.”
Wellston added to the lead in the next inning.
With two runners on, Potts laced an RBI single into left field and that set up Pittenger to clear the bases with a two-run single up the middle, making it 7-0.
Pittenger was seeing beach balls all night as she delivered another two-run single in the fourth, before ending the night with a two-run double to put the finishing touches on a career night.
“I was looking for gaps all night long. Every time I stepped to the plate, there were two runners on base so I had to drive them in,” Pittenger said. “We worked in practice on those types of situations and where the ball needs to go. I thought we all did that pretty well tonight, and I was finding the pitches to hit.”
Pittenger finished the night 4-for-5 with two doubles and eight RBIs, while Rinehart was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Potts threw a three-hit shutout and struck out eight batters for the win, and additionally went 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI.
“This was a perfect game. There’s not a single thing that I, or any of the assistant coaches, could yell or complain about,” Wellston coach Jim Hall said. “Hitting, defense, pitching, everything was perfect and I couldn’t ask for more as a coach. It’s a quick turnaround to Friday. I’m sure Wheelersburg will get some hits just like we will, but it’ll be a great game and we’ll be ready.”
SPONSORED BY QUALITY BUILDERS OF OHIO
