Wheelersburg softball remains perfect with 6-1 win over South Range in Division III state semifinals

AKRON, Ohio – Wheelersburg walked into Firestone Stadium knowing what it takes to win a state title, as the Pirates hoisted the Division III championship hardware last season.

They are just one win away from raising it again after a 6-1 win over South Range in the state semifinals on Thursday afternoon.

Wheelersburg got the offense going early and often, scoring in each of the first four innings.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first when Catie Boggs hit a single to right field to score Ava Estep.

It was then Estep in the second inning who got the Pirates on the board again. Kaylynn Carter led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and Emma Smith followed with a single. After an out, Estep lined a ball to left field that got in for a single and was misplayed, allowing both runners to score.

Macee Eaton led off the third inning by launching an opposite field homer to left to make it 4-0. It was her second home run in her last three plate appearances at Firestone Stadium, as she hit one to dead center in last season’s state championship game in the seventh inning. The University of Virginia commit couldn’t compare the two homers.

“I mean, there's really no comparison,” Eaton said. “That was a different team, and this is like a new team now. I'm just glad that we got the victory today.”

After the Pirates got two runners on, Sydney Skiver delivered an RBI single to make it 5-0.

The Pirates added yet another run in the fourth on a squeeze bunt by Boggs that scored Eaton, who hit a laser over the center fielder’s head for a triple.

“We study a lot, we talk about the pitcher how the pitcher works, what you need to look for when you're in the box, and to anticipate it,” Wheelersburg head coach Teresa Ruby said. “These kids are skilled enough that they are able to take that information and put it to work.”

South Range got its only run of the game on an RBI single by Ashley Rupert in the fifth inning to score Anna Aey, who doubled and just missed hitting a homer. But with two runners on and one out, Wheelersburg pitcher Andi Jo Howard worked out of the inning with just the one run allowed as she got a grounder and then right fielder Rileigh Lang made a running catch to end the inning.

“I just knew that I had to step up and get that because I knew if I did, the energy would go up, Lang said. “That's exactly what we needed at that time.”

After South Range loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, Howard gave way in the circle to Carter and the sophomore induced an inning-ending popup.

This wasn’t a new spot for Carter, who took the circle in relief of Eaton in last year’s state championship game and got the final six outs. It was not an easy call for Ruby, even wioth Howard getting tired in the heat.

“It's always a tough decision, I'm not gonna lie,” Ruby said. “We've used Kaylynn in that situation before. This isn't the first time we've done it. And it's nice you we've got a lefty and a righty they both throw very different dynamic pitches.”

The Pirates will try to finish a perfect 32-0 season on Saturday morning at 10am when they take on Indian Lake for the Division III state title.