Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
CIRCLEVILLE — Kendyl Chrisman did the majority of the heavy lifting, defensively, on Saturday.
The junior hurler took it upon herself to convert 76 percent of the team’s outs, recording 16 of the day’s 21 outs on strikes. And, although it wasn’t a career high, it was certainly one of her most well-rounded games.
Her teammates took it upon themselves to reciprocate the favor on the offensive end, powering the Indians to an overwhelming 9-1 victory over Fairfield — claiming the program’s second district title in three years.
“I knew Kendyl was getting up there in strikeouts. What a heck of a job she did and the team as well,” Valley coach Chad Wolfe said. “I had some notes, things she and I talked about before the game. She got it done and pitched very well, worked ahead of the count, and kept [Fairfield] off-balance.
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
“The girls are seeing the ball well. Ryleigh and Emilie are leaders as seniors who really get our lineup going with their energy and approach,” Wolfe continued. “Ryleigh’s our captain this year, Emilie was our captain last year. We also have pop throughout the lineup, but even at the bottom of the lineup. At any given time, one-through-nine, we’re dangerous. I felt like the girls, today, were locked in, again, with the approach we talked about. They executed at the plate, and that was evident with the ball flying off the bats like it was.”
Ryleigh Weeks and Emilee Barr set the tone out of the gates, and the Indians (18-7) simply followed their lead.
Weeks opened the game with a single, and Barr smoked an RBI double into deep center field to quickly put them ahead 1-0.
Two innings later, Barr delivered again. With a runner on second, she ripped an RBI single back up the middle. She scored two batters later when Izabella Bray found a gap in right field and legged out an RBI double, extending the lead to 3-0.
“When I see runners on base, I just know I have to find a way to move them over or get them in,” Barr said. “That’s my mentality. If I get a pitch early in the count that’s in a spot where I can do something, I’m going after it. Waiting doesn’t work for me, so if I see it, I’m going to hit it. That’s been my thought process all season.”
The Indians were just getting warmed up, though.
Later in the inning, EJ Vice showed her speed and beat out an infield hit to drive in a run. That paved the way for Chrisman to showcase the bat as she smacked an RBI double off the left field fence, pushing the lead to 5-0.
The Indians’ defense joined the fun in the fourth as a ball got by Bray. But she recovered and tagged the runner out at home to keep the Lions (19-9) off the board.
That energy continued to flow throughout the team and Weeks proceeded to put on a show.
With a runner on first, she laced a pitch to the fence in right field and turned on the burners for a two-run inside-the-park home run, making it a 7-0 game.
“We were already ahead by five runs, but I think that was one that really weighed them down,” Weeks said. “I was out all of last season, so I came ready and fueled for this season. I’m so proud of this team and what we’ve been able to accomplish.”
Valley added two more scores in the inning when Laylee McGraw powered an RBI triple to left field before scoring off an RBI single from Bray, producing a 9-0 count.
Fairfield managed to put up a run in the seventh, but the damage had already been done as the final out was recorded, sending Valley to the Sweet 16.
Barr finished 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, while Weeks was 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Bray went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, and Chrisman, McGraw and Vice each had a hit and an RBI.
For Fairfield, Alyssa Bales finished 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Valley advances to a Division VI regional semifinal at 5 p.m on Wednesday against Sugarcreek Garaway, who won the East District to advance.
That game will be played at Pickerington Central High School.
“We’re very excited,” Wolfe said. “It’s going to get quite a bit tougher as we go along. We’ll have to plan for that accordingly. Sugarcreek Garaway is certainly a very good ball club and a very accomplished program. We’ll have to plan to pitch around some of their strengths, and hopefully, we play well defensively.”
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