Weather knocked back some tournament games through the early part of the week, but the rain couldn’t stop all of the action.
Anna and Edgewood each opened tournament play with walk-off thrillers on Thursday. Roman Smith drove in the winning run for Edgewood in a 6-5 win versus Kins in Division II. Anna’s Carson Pleiman scored the game-winning run on a passed ball to advance 4-3 versus Miami East in D-V action.
Butler cruised past Trotwood 29-0 in D-III on Wednesday. Hunter Richardson struck out nine and drove in three to lead the way.
In D-IV, No. 11 Springfield Shawnee upset No. 2 Bethel 4-1 on Wednesday. Braves senior Joey Ross struck out five and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam to earn the win and freshman Cayden Rodgers tossed three innings of scoreless relief.
In D-VII action, Louis Magoto threw a five-inning no-hitter with 11 strikeouts to help Minster advance.
This week the GWOC has a handful of familiar matchups lined up Tuesday. In D-I, top-seed Springboro will open tournament play versus Springfield, Fairmont and Wayne will face off, as well as Beavercreek and Centerville. In D-II Northmont will meet Miamisburg.
Lakota West, which won 20 games for the first time since 2017, will meet Middletown on Tuesday.
If the weather holds, Thursday and Friday will have a huge slate of district final games.
Softball Tournament
D-I: Fairmont, Centerville and Lebanon became district champions on Thursday, while Springboro finished as district runner-up.
Jaylin Turner tossed a no-hitter and Hannah Perdue and Carlee Netherton each homered to help Fairmont advance. The Firebirds will face Oak Hills on Wednesday.
Centerville defeated Lakota West 8-1 with Natalie Carr going 3-for-3 with a home run to lead the way. The Elks advance to face Mason on Wednesday.
Sophia Sheidler struck out 15, passing 500 career strikeouts, and drove in a run to lead Lebanon in a 2-1 win versus Lakota East. The Warriors will take on Marysville on Wednesday.
D-II: Northmont, Troy and Edgewood each opened tournament play with wins.
D-III: Audrey Bean doubled, homered and drove in three to help Piqua upset Tippecanoe on Wednesday.
D-IV: Ivee Rastatter hit her 16th home run on the season in an 18-2 win versus Brookville on Tuesday.
D-V: Northwestern, Springfield Shawnee and Miami East each advanced to regionals on Thursday. Anna was eliminated Monday but senior Liz Staudter finished her career in style, hitting a home run in her final at-bat.
D-VI: Emma Will blasted a pair of homers to help Fort Recovery get by Tri-County North 10-9 on Wednesday.
D-VII: Covington cruised into the Regional tournament with a 25-1 win versus Felicity-Franklin on Thursday. Jayda McClure tallied a double, two triples and a home run in the win.
Coaching News
Minster’s Larry Topp announced his retirement at the end of the track season after 40 years as the school’s track & field and cross country coach. Topp was voted into the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame in 2024. Previously Topp was named the OATCCC coach of the year and received honors as the National Federation of State High School Associations state coach of the year and national track & field coach of the year in 2021 after guiding the Minster boys track team to a Division III state championship.
Fort Loramie’s Brad Turner is also stepping away from coaching the softball team after 18 years. With 291 career victories, Turner leaves as the winningest coach in school history.
A few other coaches passed milestones last week. In softball, Northmont’s Kris Mangen recorded her 600th career victory on Wednesday and Lebanon’s Brian Kindell reached the 500 career win mark on Monday. Bellbrook baseball coach Jon Venter celebrated his 100th career victory last Friday.
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