Strasburg-Franklin headed to OHSAA softball Division 4 state championship game after knocking off defending champ Bradford

AKRON, Ohio – With defending state champion Bradford in the opposing dugout, it was Strasburg-Franklin that took control of the state semifinal game at Firestone Stadium on Friday morning and left with a 10-1 win.

The big blow came early, as junior second baseman Hayley Reiger took a drop ball and launched it into the grass behind the left-field fence for a three-run homer to make it 4-0 in the second inning.

“I was just looking to square the ball up, no matter what,” Reiger said. “I knew I had to do my job and get on base, and it just happened to be over the fence.”

The homer scored Rylee Becker and Danielle Wright, who had knocked in the first run of the inning with a fielder’s choice.

“We want to try to get runs right off the bat and put teams behind,” Strasburg coach Tom Spidell said. “We feel like if we can get that lead and then go out on defense and hold them right away, we are at a huge advantage.”

The third inning was a combination of good offense and bad defense, as Strasburg scored three runs on a wild pitch and an error.

Maggie Richards led off the inning by drawing a walk and Sydney Siblia followed with a single. They both then stole a base to give the Tigers runners on second and third with nobody out. Richards scored on a wild pitch and Siblia moved up to third.

Aubrey Allenworth then hit a bunt single and advanced to second base because nobody was covering the bag, and Bradford was concerned about Siblia at third.

With runners again at second and third with nobody out, Jaelynn Marks bunted back to the pitcher, who threw it past the catcher at home, allowing Siblia and Allensworth to score to make it 7-0.

Pitcher Ameilia Spidell was solid in the circle and didn’t give up her first hit until there were two outs in the fifth inning as Bradford rallied with two outs and scored a run. 

But with the bases loaded and Strasburg up 7-1, Spidell struck out opposing pitcher Nylani Beireis to end the threat. The sophomore raised her arms in the circle after the strikeout before returning to her dugout.

“I think that’s the moment when I knew we were going to be heading to the state final,” Spidell said. “I was pretty excited.”

Strasburg added three more runs in the seventh as Wright drove in a run with a single and then Spidell hit a two-run single to center.

The Tigers will now look for their eighth state title in school history as they return to Firestone Stadium on Saturday at 4 p.m. to face either Hillsdale or Lincolnview. It’s an end that the coach isn’t looking forward to, no matter the outcome.

“Tomorrow the season ends one way or another,” Tom Spidell said. “That part is disappointing just because it has been so much fun. They are a joy to coach.”