Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
AKRON — Sycamore Mohawk couldn’t solve the conundrum that is Ava Rush.
And by the time the Warriors had figured it out, Notre Dame was already lightyears ahead.
The Titans (27-5) led from start to finish, pouring on eight runs in the final two innings, nailing down a decisive 9-2 victory over Mohawk (26-4) in a Division VII state semifinal on Thursday.
“It took us a little while to really get started, but this was a great team victory and it’s always an accomplishment to get it done in a state semifinal,” Notre Dame coach Shad Ford said. “Being on this stage last year definitely helped us understand what it’s like to be in front of all the fans for both sides. It made everything easier and I’m proud of the girls for how they competed.”
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
Notre Dame had the first at-bat and took full advantage of the opportunity to strike first.
Senior shortstop Alayla Soard took an 0-1 offering for a ride, sending it over the center field fence to quickly put her Titans ahead 1-0.
“There was a lot of film study when it came to timing her wind up, but the most important thing for me was stepping into the box with confidence,” Soard said. “I didn’t play so well in our regional game against Conotton Valley, but I had so much confidence in my teammates that if I didn’t get something going, they would. I was just waiting for something in the zone that I could drive and I got it.”
That early jolt of energy was all Ava Rush needed for the time being.
Through three innings, she had struck out six batters without allowing a hit.
The Warriors threatened in the fourth with runners on second and third and just one out, but Rush fired a strikeout before inducing a groundout to end the inning.
“I know my defense is behind me and they’re the absolute best. As much as they rely on me, I rely just as much on them,” Rush said. “It only makes me want to be better for them and there’s no taking our foot off the pedal. So it just comes down to trust.”
Two innings later, Rush decided to take matters into her own hands.
With the bases loaded, she roped a two-run single into left field, helping her own cause, to push the lead to 3-0.
“I was looking around and I was just thinking, ‘Someone has to get something started.’ So I went up there and I had a job to do,” Rush said. “I needed to be a hitter, so I stepped up, took away anything that was spinning and gave it my all.”
Not to be outdone, Ava’s sister, Bella, stepped up next and smacked a two-run triple down the left field line to make it a 5-0 game.
“It was my lucky day, so a lot of those pitches she was throwing were exactly where I like them,” Bella said. “Even when I saw that changeup coming, I had to stay back and remain calm since she got me with it the first time. But I made sure to get this one.”
Sycamore Mohawk tried to make things interesting, getting an RBI triple from Katie Woodland, followed by an RBI groundout from Aubrey Gottfried, which cut the lead to 5-2.
The only problem was that the Warriors couldn’t stop the Titans’ offense, nor get out of their own way.
With a pair of Titan runners on, Mohawk committed a fielding error that allowed both to score, extending the lead to 7-2.
Three batters later, with the bases loaded and two outs, Ava Rush delivered again with a two-run single into left field, producing the knockout blow and punching the Titans’ state championship game ticket.
“We made some in-game adjustments with our approach at the plate since she got us a few times early in the game,” Ford said. “Those small little things allowed us to speed up a little bit, put balls in the gaps to drive in some runs and put the pressure on them. We’ll probably have to do the same thing tomorrow, but we’ll be ready.”
Ava Rush finished her day going the distance in the circle, allowing three hits, two earned runs and striking out 13 batters. She also went 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
Bella Rush went 3-for-4 with a triple, a double, and two RBIs, and Soard was 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI.
Notre Dame now advances to the Division VII State Championship at 8 p.m. on Friday, back at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. The Titans will meet with Cortland Maplewood, who defeated Charleston Southeastern to move on.
A win would mark the program’s second consecutive state title.
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can follow live updates from Akron tomorrow evening on X. @SirBrockNetter will have in-game updates and complete details after the game at SOSAOhio.com.
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