John Bruce, Staff Writer
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
CHILLICOTHE — For the first time since 1984 and for only the fourth time in program history, the Eastern Eagles are soaring into a district championship game.
Eastern junior hurler Leah Rader struck out eight while allowing no earned runs and also went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, leading the Eagles (20-7) to a hard-fought 6-2 win over Manchester in a Division VI district semifinal on Thursday.
“Our pitchers are amazing and we know that they are going to throw strikes,” Quillen said of Rader and Paige Helton. “We just have to have a good defense behind them. I know that they are going to do amazing and we just have to back them up.”
CREDIT: Raymond Gleadle/SOSA
Manchester (15-11) nearly took an early lead, following a two-out double from Bristynn McClanahan, but Rader was helped out with an outstanding catch in foul territory by Lynnleigh McCollister to end the inning.
Eastern was able to take an early lead in its half of the first after Braelyn Bevins doubled to center and scored on a throwing error two batters later.
The Greyhounds grabbed a temporary lead in the second when Kloey Carter scored on a passed ball and Addilyn Hunter brought home Bayleigh Spires on a sinking liner into left center field, making it 2-1.
The Eagles tied the game in the bottom half on a base hit from Bevins to score Jaidyn McCleese.
Manchester looked poised to have a big third inning after a leadoff double from McClanahan, however, one batter later, Eastern’s Libby Poorman made an outstanding catch and tossed to Kami Pollard at second base for the double play.
“Definitely, when my defense is on, that makes me feel a lot better,” Rader said. “That means I can let my defense work by throwing strikes. So if they do hit it, I know they’ll back me up.”
PHOTOS: Images from Eastern’s district semifinal win over Manchester
In the bottom half of the frame, Poorman came through with two outs and the bases loaded with an infield single to score Aubrey Quillen, giving the Eagles a lead they’d never relinquish.
“There were two outs and we had two on the bag and I had a 3-2 count,” Quillen said of her clutch hit in the sixth. “In my head, I just was thinking that I had to lock in and do it for my team, so we can continue.”
With a 3-2 lead, Rader locked in from the circle, striking out four batters over the next three frames, while her defense easily collected the other five outs in those innings, giving the Eagles a chance to add some insurance and put the game on ice.
They were able to do that a major way in the bottom of the sixth.
After the first two batters of the frame were put down in order, Bevins was hit by a pitch and Kenleigh Bapst worked a walk before Quillen smoked a base hit to left, scoring Bevins and advancing to second on the throw home.
One batter later, Rader connected on her fourth — and biggest — hit of the game, lining a 3-2 pitch to right to score Bapst and Quillen, making it a four-run advantage for the Eagles.
“I felt really good, I had been hitting the ball all day,” Rader said of her big hit. “I knew it was time to get locked in and I knew that I didn’t need anything big, just a base hit.”
The Eagles secured the win when Bapst ranged far to her left to field a grounder and quickly fired to first to give Eastern its 20th win of the season and the programs’ first trip to the district title game since 1984.
Manchester was led on the night offensively by McClanahan, who went 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of doubles.
The Eagles were led by Rader’s four hits and three RBIs, while Bevins and Poorman each added two hits. Quillen scored twice to help the winners as well.
Eastern will look to make program history on Saturday when they clash with Portsmouth West, who pulled off an impressive comeback to beat Lynchburg-Clay on Thursday night.
“We haven’t ever done this in Eastern Softball history [win a district title],” Rader said of Saturday’s game. “Hopefully, we can make history and be behind Aubrey, because we don’t want it to be her last game.”
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