Starting strong

LIMA - After not getting a run in a 1-0, eight-inning loss to Bath in the regular season, St. Marys wasn't taking any chances in the rematch.

The Roughriders scored three in the top of the first inning and pitcher Karsyn McGlothen and the defense picked each other up in beating the Wildkittens 4-3 in the Division II district softball semifinal on Thursday on the campus of the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima.

The Roughriders (14-10) will take on Shawnee on Saturday at noon for a berth in the Tiffin University regional next week after the Indians defeated Bryan 12-4 in the second semifinal. Shawnee (18-8) defeated St. Marys 7-1 in the regular season meeting on April 23 at K.C. Geiger Park.

"We made it happen early," said St. Marys coach Kendra Solomon. "It gave Karsyn confidence and made things a little calmer out on the mound. This is what we wanted. We wanted that second chance (against Bath) for differing reasons."

St. Marys, which had just four hits in the regular season loss on May 4 at K. C. Geiger Park, got rolling right away as Kiley Tennant drew a walk to start the game. Emma Birt bunted Tennant to second and Renee Sweigart singled to right to bring home the first run of the day. McGlothen stepped in and took Dylan Grigsby's 1-0 offering just right of the 220-foot sign in center field to make it 3-0.

Grigsby regained form and followed the first with four shutout innings. St. Marys had runners at second and third with one out in the third, but Grigsby got consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.

Bath (20-7) got a run back in the bottom of the first after Chandler Clark bunted her way on for a single and stole second. One out later, Grigsby helped her own cause with a single to right to score Clark to make it 3-1.

The score stayed 3-1 until the bottom of the fifth. McGlothen got the first two outs before Grigsby singled. After Claire Armentrout came on as a courtesy runner, Ruby Bolon doubled to the fence in right-center to score the run and cut the margin to 3-2 before McGlothen got the final out.

St. Marys quickly cushioned its lead again as McGlothen led off with a double. After a pop-out, Zoe Lininger grounded to third. Third baseman Esther Bolon initially thought about tagging courtesy runner Ashlyn Rush, but Rush stopped and backed off. The throw to first to try and get Lininger was off the mark, allowing Rush to score to make it 4-2.

"We have to be able to battle all game to keep things going," said Solomon. "They kept at it and kept the momentum going."

The run proved big as Bath came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh. Clark, the Western Buckeye League co-Player of the Year, tripled to center and later scored on a passed ball. That was all the Roughriders would allow as Rachel Clark popped out to short and McGlothen struck out Grigsby and Ruby Bolon to end the game.

McGlothen scattered seven hits, walked two and struck out five.

"She knows she can battle," said Solomon. "Throughout the season she's got that confidence and knows no matter who it's against, she's going to battle them."

Sweigart and McGlothen each had two hits and combined for all the runs batted in.

Grigsby had a strong day in the circle, striking out 11 batters with two walks and five hits allowed. Chandler Clark, Grigsby and Ruby Bolon each had two hits.  

"I respect Bath. Always have since I played," said Solomon, a former standout for the Roughriders. "It means a lot for these girls to put it together and put their hearts into it to make something happen today."