Area softball teams advance to regional tournaments

Four area teams headed into regional softball tournaments this weekend. Of that group, which included defending Division III state champ Dover, Tusky Valley and Strasburg-Franklin, the big surprise was Claymont.

After finishing fourth in the Inter-Valley Conference South, Mustangs took a 17-12 record and a four-game winning streak into the regional after winning the Division V East 2 District by upsetting No. 2 seed Martins Ferry 3-1 in the May 21 district finale.

Senior Ava Edwards had a huge game, going 3-for-3 from the No. 9 hole, including a double, triple, run and RBI. Freshman Blair Lexus went the distance in the circle, allowing six hits and three walks, while striking out just one. Claymont made three errors but the defense was stout when needed.

That all put the Mustangs in a May 27 regional semifinal against Wheelersburg at Ohio University. The winner will play May 30 at noon against either Meigs or Tusky Valley, also at OU.

Also in Division V, Tusky Valley rolled into regionals as a No. 1 seed that lived up to the billing. The IVC South champion Trojans posted back-to-back 10-0 victories, including over No. 10-seed Coshocton in the district title game in five innings on May 21. They improved to 23-4 with that win.

Three Trojans hit two home runs in the district final. Freshman JJ Wallace went 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs. She scored four times. Junior Elliot Wallick also slugged a pair of homers, going 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBI. Junior Brennan Reichman also had two homers, drove in five runs and scored a pair.

That all made things easy for Reichman, who tossed a no-hitter, recording 13-of-15 outs via strikeouts, and walked four.

The winner of the OU Regional moves to a 10 a.m. state semifinal June 6 at Firestone Stadium in Akron. The state final is June 7 at 1:30.

Strasburg-Franklin captured the Division VII East 1 District championship with a 16-2, five-inning white-washing of No. 6 Frontier May 21. The Tigers, who reached the district final by beating Tusky Central Catholic 7-0 on May 19, improved to 21-7.

A 10-run fourth inning allowed S-F to break open what was a relatively tight game. The Tigers finished with 16 hits, two each by seven players. Madalyn Whelan had a homer and scored three times; Miley Reifenschneider homered and drove in three runs; and Olivia Spidell homered, scored twice and drove in five. Reifenschneider allowed five runs and a walk over five innings, striking out nine.

Against TCC, Reifenschneider homered, drove in three runs, pitched a no-hitter and struck out 13 in seven innings. Lynsie Tinearend, who walked, was the only Saints player to reach against her. TCC finished 10-15.Strasburg moved into a May 28 regional semifinal against Portsmouth Notre Dame at Ohio University. The winner will face either Conotton Valley or Symmes Valley in the regional final, also at OU, May 30 at 2:30.

That winner will move on to a 12:30 p.m. state semifinal on June 4 at Firestone Stadium. The state final will be June 5 at 8 p.m., also at Firestone.

Dover, as expected, cruised to the Southeast/East District championship. The top-seeded Tornadoes did not allow a run on the way to the title, including a 6-0 shutout of No. 2 Thornville Sheridan in the title game May 23.

Senior Kara Lint and freshman Abby Lint combined in a four-hitter against Sheridan. Kara Lint worked three innings with three strikeouts. Abby Lint went four innings, striking out four. Each allowed two hits and no walks.

Offensively, freshman Elle Tonya and sophomore Ariana Immel each had a pair of hits, including a double. Tonya scored and drove in a run; Immel scored twice. Sophomore Sophie Bantum had two hits, two RBI and score once.

Dover took a 24-0 record into its regional semifinal at Sugar Grove Berne Union May 27 to face Bloom Carroll. The winner was to face either Jonathan Alder or Tri-Valley in a May 29 regional final, also at Berne Union. Dover would place in a 12:30 p.m. state semifinal June 5 at Firestone Stadium in Akron with the title game at 8 p.m, one day later.