GREENVILLE – The Greenville Lady Wave celebrated Senior Night with an 11-1 five-inning run-rule Miami Valley League win over the visiting Sidney Lady Yellow Jackets to earn an outright Miami Valley League schampionship for the umpteenth time, including all six MVL titles since the conference restarted.
Greenville seniors Lily Brubaker and Kendall Cromwell were honored before the start of the league game.
“Great day for Lady Wave Softball, the two seniors,” said Greenville coach Jerrod Newland. “So proud of them, 105 wins, 14 losses in four years, you can do the math, that’s pretty wild and still have a few more weeks.”
The Lady Wave wasted little time taking control, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Leah Force opened the game with a leadoff solo home run to left field. Ella Oswalt followed with a walk, Lizzie Shaffer singled to right, and Jordyn McMullen delivered an RBI sacrifice fly to right.
Cromwell worked a walk before Brubaker drove a two-run triple to the fence in right field. Kara Blumenstock followed with a run-scoring single to center, giving Greenville a 5-0 lead after one inning.
Oswalt was dominant in the circle, striking out the side in the second inning and again in the third, finishing with nine strikeouts over three scoreless innings.
Greenville added three more runs in the second inning when Shaffer doubled down the left-field line, McMullen doubled down the right-field line, and Rielynn Davidson singled down the left-field line, each driving in a run.
The Lady Wave pushed the lead to 10-0 in the third. Force reached on an error, Oswalt doubled off the top of the left-field fence, and Hallee Fourman singled to center to bring home another run.
Sidney scored its lone run in the fourth inning on a leadoff walk, a hit batter, and an RBI single to center.
Greenville ended the game in the bottom of the fifth when Blumenstock drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Sidney error on a Shaffer fly ball to center.
Oswalt earned the win, allowing one hit and no runs over three innings while striking out nine and walking none. Shaffer came on in relief and collected the save.
Dillon took the loss for Sidney, allowing 10 hits and 11 runs, six earned, over four and two-thirds innings while striking out four and walking three.
Greenville collected 10 hits. Brubaker and Shaffer each had two hits, while Brubaker, McMullen, and Fourman each drove in two runs. The Lady Wave also played error-free defense.
“We get the 17th league win today, it’s good, played a nice Sidney group and just excited to come out and play and compete,” said Newland. “Great crowd today at the stadium with both junior high teams playing and hosting the middle school events today, just proud of the kids.”
“A lot of kids playing hard and having fun, and we are starting to enjoy the journey,” Newland added. “That’s what it’s all about because they are starting to enjoy it.”
Following the win, Greenville closed Senior Night with the annual “pie in the face” tradition, with the coaching staff on the receiving end.
“We have gone to whipped cream and paper plates so I don’t get cut or abused anymore,” Newland said. “The year we had cupcakes, it was up my nose with icing for two days but just fun, the kids and the program.”
“It’s what it’s all about,” Newland continued. “When you look out here with the crowd at the stadium for just a normal league game and the seventh and eighth grade over there playing – just fun with the senior festivities before the game, that’s as good as it is and just awesome to see the young kids.”
Newland also pointed to the program’s strength from middle school through high school.
“We have 51 kids in the program, 27 middle school, 24 high school,” said Newland. “Fifty-one kids playing middle school and high school softball. Just so excited about where we’re at and so super pumped about where we’re going over the next few years. It’s going to be a great time for Greenville.”
BOX SCORE:
123 456 7 R H E
000 00X X 0 2 4 Sidney
532 01X X 11 10 0 Greenville
