Weather alters schedule, but area teams still deliver strong performances

It was to be a week full of intra-county battles on area baseball and softball diamonds, but as happens in most Ohio springs, the weather got the best of things. Still, the last several days saw a number of head-to-head competitions among area teams.

Highland’s softball team was supposed to take on Medina on April 20, but weather took care of that. That meant the Hornets had to wait an extra day to end a five-game losing streak, which they did with a 3-1 victory over Kent Roosevelt in Suburban League National Conference action. Michayla Oyler led the way with a home run and two RBIs. Kate Muri threw a six-hitter to get the win for the Hornets.

In softball, Buckeye had a memorable day on April 25, beating Medina 11-0 in five innings in the Prebis Memorial Invitational in North Ridgeville. The Bucks got a four-hit shutout from Lilly Young, who struck out nine as Buckeye improved to 11-4 overall. The Bucks had just five hits themselves but took advantage of a pair of Medina errors, seven walks and a pair of hit batters. Juliana Melillo led the Buckeye offense with a grand slam as part of a seven-run second inning.

Highland’s girls won the Green Relays on April 24, scoring 101 points to outpace runner-up Wadsworth’s 84. Notching first-place finishes were the distance medley team of Madison Forshey, Sophia Madison, Mary Cullen and Katie Schuler, and the 4x100 ironwoman team of Lacy Piechowiak, Libby Lutzko, Lana Wojtowicz and Audrey Wendl. Bria Riedy won the pole vault, and Celia Pylypiak was runner-up in the 300 hurdles. Highland’s boys came in third with 72 points, trailing Wadsworth’s 105 and Boardman’s 103. The Hornets won the 4x800, with Colton Klein, Andrew Bossart, Andrew Welch and John Hildenbrand teaming up.

Medina’s girls had a strong showing at the Comet Relays in Amherst on April 25, placing fifth among two dozen teams with 49 points. Avon won with 100. The 4x100 team of Brooke Diello, Mariana Cunningham, Michaela Gwinn and Ruby Lloyd notched the Bees’ lone first-place finish. The boys team finished seventh with 41 points. Mentor won with 74. The 4x800 team of Nate Fischer, Carson Henning, Logan Jones and Liam Meade turned in a runner-up finish, as did the 4x1600 unit of Peyton Davis, Joey D’Aurelio, Riley Dworznik and Trent Schirmer.

Cloverleaf and Buckeye competed in the inaugural Keystone Track and Field Festival on April 24. Cloverleaf’s girls won the championship with 88 points, with Buckeye second with 70.5. Buckeye’s boys were third with 74, behind Keystone and Vermilion, while Cloverleaf placed fifth with 48.

Winners for Cloverleaf’s girls were freshmen Adrian Akers and Lily Dluzinski, junior Samantha Porter and senior Kayla Shook in the 4x400. For the Colt boys, senior Gavin Forbes won the 3,200. Buckeye boys got wins from senior Brady Salazar in the 400 and junior Dmitry Pshonyak in the 1,600. For the Buckeye girls, freshman Blakely Herman won the 300 hurdles and junior Ellen Steppenbacker won the pole vault.