GREENVILLE – Greenville battled the West Carrollton Lady Pirates and the weather to advance in OHSAA DIII tournament play with a 13-1 run-rule victory, giving the Lady Wave program an unprecedented 22 straight years of 25 or more wins in a season under the direction of Hall of Fame Coach Jerrod Newland. Newland currently stands at 586 career victories, all with Greenville Lady Wave Softball. The Wednesday night win gives the Lady Wave Softball program 909 wins.
“Great day for Lady Wave Softball,” said Coach Newland. “Miserable day out here today but the field was in good shape. Proud of the kids, proud of the program. Twenty-fifth win here on the home field for the seniors’ last game on it. Now 25-2 and moving on to district finals Friday. Can’t wait to get a gold medal 15 miles away at Versailles.”
Three Greenville seniors played their final game at Lady Wave Stadium: No. 5 Kylar Arnett, No. 19 Morgan Thompson, and No. 21 Zoey Burns. The three LWSB seniors currently have a 106-18 career record.
“Three great kids and can’t say enough about them and just proud of them,” Newland said. “They’re on unfinished business. Friday night, they get their fourth gold medal in four years, and most programs don’t win four gold medals in their careers. Those kids have 108 wins and four gold medals come Friday. Can’t wait for it and proud of the kids and that’s what it’s all about – Lady Wave Softball.”
Lady Wave seniors Kylar Arnett and Zoey Burns teamed up to put the first run of the night on the board with a leadoff Arnett single and a Burns deep sacrifice fly to center into the teeth of a strong wind, giving Greenville a 1-0 lead after one.
Inning No. 2 went to Greenville with Ella Oswalt striking out the Lady Pirates in order, and the Lady Wave plating two runs with leadoff Lizzie Shaffer single, a RBI Lily Brubaker double, and Bri Klosterman singling and Brubaker scoring on an error – 3-0 Greenville.
Osborn struck out the first two batters at the top of the third and came off the mound to field a Lady Pirates bunt with a scorching throw to Burns at first, for out No. 3 with Oswalt’s work for the night complete.
Greenville put three runs on the board in the bottom of the inning with Burns leading off hit by a pitch, back-to-back singles to left by Oswalt and Kendall Cromwell, and a Leah Force RBI sacrifice fly to center. An error plated a run, Brubaker collected a run-scoring sacrifice fly to center, upping the Lady Wave’s lead to 6-0 with three innings in the book.
The Lady Pirates logged their lone run of the night with a leadoff double and one-out single, to trail 6-1 with Greenville coming to the plate in the bottom of the inning to put the game away, scoring seven runs.
Klosterman led off the bottom of the fourth legging out an infield single, an RBI Double off the bat of Arnett, Oswalt reaching on an error plating a run, a Kara Blumenstock single, a Shaffer two out run scoring double to left, a 2-run Brubaker single, a run scoring error, and a Cloe Shuttleworth RBI single advancing the Lady Wave with a 12 run win.
“We hit the ball really well, both kids pitched well today, played some defense.” Coach Newland said.
“We hit the ball square today, and passing the bat. If we hit the ball like that and pitch like we did today, we’ll be playing a long way. Love where we’re at.”
Oswalt earned the win for the Lady Wave, pitching 3.0 scoreless innings of no-hit ball, no walks, and seven strikeouts. Shaffer tossed 2.0 innings, 1 earned run, 2 hits, no walks, and five strikeouts.
Five Lady Wave had two hits led by Brubaker 2-3 including a double, 4 RBI, 2 runs; Shaffer 2-3 including a double, 2 RBI, 1 run; Arnett 2-3 including a double, 1 RBI, 2 runs; Klosterman 2-2, 1 RBI, 1 run; Cromwell 2-2 including a double; Force 1-2, 1 RBI; Blumenstock 1-1, 2 runs; Shuttleworth 1-1, 1 RBI; Oswalt 1-3, 1 RBI; Burns 1 RBI, 1 run; Reese Stewart 1 run; Caleigh Stebbins 1 run; Rylie Pfledderer 1 run.
BOX SCORE:
123 456 7 R H E
000 10X X 1 2 5 West Carrollton
123 7XX X 13 14 1 Greenville
