VERSAILLES – The Greenville Lady Wave crushed the Bellefontaine Lady Chieftains 12-0 in the minimum four innings at the plate to capture their 16th District Title out of the last 18 years.
“What a great day for Lady Wave Softball,” said veteran Greenville coach Jerrod Newland. “It was an amazing atmosphere. Lady Wave Nation showed up today, love it, and proud of the kids. Boy, we hit the ball. We only got 12 outs, but boy, we stroked it.”
“They are fundamentally sound, they play offensively up and down the line, they make the plays defensively, and they always have great pitching and throw strikes, and that’s the nucleus to be a good team,” said Greenville Superintendent Doug Fries, a former GHS varsity baseball and basketball coach. “They are well-coached fundamentally, they all buy in, and it’s fun to watch. They give themselves a chance because they are good at all parts of the game.”
Greenville dented the board in the bottom of the first with a Kylar Arnett leadoff double to right and scored, and a Kendall Cromwell run-scoring ground out to short, giving the Lady Wave a 1-0 lead after one complete.
“That first ball I hit, it was good to get a hit and get it going, we got it rolling,” said senior second baseman Arnett. “Everybody clutched up when they needed to. We hit very solidly today.”
The teams played a scoreless second inning in what looked like would be a tight game.
Arnett led off the bottom of the third with a single, and Zoey Burns doubled to center, putting runners on first and third. Kendall Cromwell drilled a one-out 2-run double to center, and Lily Brubaker stroked a two-out 2-run double to center, giving Greenville a 5-0 lead with three innings in the book.
“They are amazing,” Newland said of seniors Kylar Arnett and Zoey Burns. “They have been the best players on the field the last three or four years, I love them. They’re on unfinished business. They’re like coaches and what they demand out of the kids. Zoey (two-time First Team All-Ohio) has never played first base until this year, and goodness gracious, she’s out there scooping the ball, being the leader, slowing down the youngin.”
“Kendall’s had a great year,” Newland added of his junior catcher. “She’s just a stud, and she’ll be rewarded well, some of the things she’s been awarded already.”
With Ella Oswalt keeping the Lady Chieftains at bay on the mound, the Lady Wave came to the plate in the bottom of the fourth plating seven runs, putting the game out of reach with a 12-0 advantage.
“What a great day here at Versailles,” said Coach Newland. “Ella pitched lights out; she’s ready to roll. We traveled well, great game, great kids. We are really starting to hit stride, boy, we are hitting stride.”
“We play for the name on the front,” Newland added. “I just love where we’re at and where we’re going. Sweet 16 and it’s great.”
Big hits in the fourth included an Arnett double, a Burns 2-run double, a two-out Leah Force 2-run double, a Brubaker RBI single to left, and a Rielynn Davidson towering 2-run homer run deep over the centerfield fence, and a 12-0 Lady Wave Lead that would hold up for the final score advancing Greenville to the state regionals.
“That one is still going,” Newland said of Davidson’s home run. “She switched bats yesterday. Boy, that was a shot, just crazy.”
Morgan Thompson drilled a shot to center, getting robbed of a home run with the Lady Chieftains’ centerfielder going above the fence to get the out.
“Morgan’s was over the fence,” Newland noted. “That girl robbed it at the end – that was crazy.”
“It was a fun day, had a great week of practice,” Newland continued. “We’re playing hard, having fun, we’re singing, dancing, it’s a circus, and we’re heading to Miami.”
Oswalt went the distance for Greenville, pitching 5.0 scoreless innings of 2 two-hit ball, with 1 walk while striking out six. The Lady Wave freshman threw 65 pitches, 42 strikes, and 23 balls.
Brubaker and Arnett each went 3-3 with 2 doubles; Brubaker 3 RBI, 1 run scored, and Arnett 3 runs scored.
Burns went 2-3, both doubles, 2 RBI, 2 runs; Leah Force was 2-3 with a double, 2 RBI, 2 runs; Cromwell went 2-3, including a double, 3 RBI; Davidson 1-3, a home run, 2 RBI, 1 run; Lizzie Shaffer 1-3; Bri Klosterman 1 walk, 1 run; Oswalt a walk; Caleigh Stebbins 2 runs.
The Lady Wave played error-free ball, making all the plays in the field in District Championship action.
The Lady Wave’s win was seniors Zoey Burns, Kylar Arnett, and Morgan Thompson’s fourth career District Championship Title.
“Lady Wave Nation, let’s go – we got that win,” said Burns following the win. “I’ve been waiting for this all season.”
“I am so happy for all the girls on the field,” Thompson stated. “I love being in the dugout with my teammates and cheering them on.”
The Lady Wave advances to play the New Richmond Lady Lions on Wednesday, May 28th, at Miami Softball Stadium, located on the Miami University campus. The game will start at 2 p.m. The Lady Lions advanced with an 8-3 win over the Butler Lady Aviators.
BOX SCORE
123 456 7 R H E
000 00X X 0 2 0 Bellefontaine
104 7XX X 12 14 0 Greenville
