Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
AKRON — What a ride this spring has been for the Hillsboro Indians.
A perfect season inside conference play, the program’s first district title in 23 years, and a first-ever trip to the Final 4.
It’s a year that truly will never be forgotten. This year’s group will be forever recognized inside the halls of their high school.
The Indians’ bid for the Division IV state championship crown, however, fell short on Thursday in a 9-0 loss to undefeated Kenton Ridge in Akron.
But make no mistake about it: the final result doesn’t define the level of success the Indians were able to reach.
It was history in the making pitch-by-pitch.
Hillsboro wanted to be the one in what could have been 31-1, but Kenton Ridge (32-0) had other ideas.
The Indians (23-4) got caught in a rundown and thrown out at second to end the top of the first inning.
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
That loss was Kenton Ridge’s gain and was, as it turns out, the Indians’ only chance to score.
KR’s Brenna Fyffe drew a walk with one out in the next half inning. She stole second, tagged on a sacrifice fly to third and then scored on a wild pitch to put her team up 1-0.
The Cougars proceeded to bust the game wide open in the third, scoring seven runs, an inning that was highlighted by a two-run double from J.J. Davis and an RBI single from Ivee Rastatter.
Those were two of the Cougars’ four hits on the evening, but it was all they needed to close the door on their first state championship in school history.
Hillsboro bids adieu to a spectacular group of seniors in Camryn Spruell, Addie Huff, Reagan Clemons, Rhianna Clemons, Isabelle Brunck, Madison Dearmon and Brylee Thornburgh.
That group paved the way to the Final 4 and, even though Thursday didn’t go as they had hoped, it’s something no one can take away.
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