A walk-off and a run-rule

WAPAKONETA - A walk-off winner was followed by a run-rule decision in Wednesday's Division IV softball district semifinal double-dip.

Jenna Poeppelman's two-out single in the eighth inning gave Minster a 4-3 victory over New Bremen in the opener to send the Wildcats to the district title game where a familiar foe will be awaiting.

In the nightcap, Parkway's Haley Hawk became the Ohio High School Athletic Association's career RBI leader with a single in the first inning, and the Panthers defeated Fort Recovery 13-0 in five innings to set up a title rematch with Minster.

Parkway and Minster meet for the second time this season on Friday at 5 p.m. for a berth to the Greenville regional. The Wildcats defeated the Panthers 10-8 to clinch the outright MAC title.
Minster 4, New Bremen 3 (8 innings)

Poeppelman was in the middle of her final at-bat when coach Robb Hemmelgarn left the third base box to give her some words of encouragement.

"I said 'You're going to make this a night that you're going to tell your kids about 20 years from now, the night when you won the district semifinal game against New Bremen,' " Hemmelgarn said of the meeting. "I said 'You have to have confidence. You're going to see the ball. It's going to come in there like a beach ball and you're going to drive that thing and find some grass. That's how this is going to end, Jenna. I don't want you to have to pitch another inning.' She listened like she always does."

Poeppelman's prospective children may one day listen to her tell the story, too.

The junior's hard-hit ground ball nicked off the outstretched glove of New Bremen third baseman Kira Bertke and allowed Taylor Homan to score the winning run that capped the Wildcats' comeback from having been down two runs entering their final at-bat.

"It was a great softball game to watch," said New Bremen's Craig Griesdorn, who coached the final game of his 20-year career. "Both teams played very, very well. Both teams got out of some jams. They just made one more play than we did."

"Craig's a great coach," Hemmelgarn said. "Word's out that this might be his last season. If it is, it's been remarkable competing against him and watching him for all these years. I wish him nothing but the best, and we have tremendous respect for their program. We knew it was going to be a battle tonight."

New Bremen's nine-hitter Erin Smith had the lone hit by either team through the first three innings, a two-out double in the third. She was stranded there as Poeppelman recorded a strikeout to end the inning.

Cardinal pitcher Molly Smith allowed one baserunner through three innings, issuing a walk to the first batter she faced, Karli Richard, who went on to steal second to put herself in scoring position with no outs. Smith struck out the next two hitters she faced and Richard was thrown out trying to steal third.

But the Wildcats cashed in with a runner onboard in the fourth. Danielle Barhorst hit a one-out double down the left field line and Homan dented the scoreboard with an RBI single.

Then New Bremen's Taylor Paul literally dented the scoreboard with a line-drive home run off the scoreboard in left to open the fifth.

"That was a rope," Griesdorn said. "I didn't know if it was going to be high enough. That was my concern."

Richard hit a one-out double in the sixth and advanced to third on a groundout. Homan was intentionally walked and then Smith forced an inning-ending groundout.

After a scoreless seventh, Poeppelman issued her first walk of the game to Erin Smith to start the eighth. Poeppelman had a low throw to second on a ground ball by Abbi Thieman, leaving runners at first and second. The Wildcats got a force out at third after a short fly had dropped in left. Kelly Naylor's grounder to second moved the runners into scoring position.

Molly Smith followed with a two-run bloop single over the head of Homan at shortstop and in front of a diving left fielder Mara Schmiesing.

Minster, however, wasn't done.

Richard drew her second walk of the game with one out in the eighth. Barhorst drove in Richard with a triple to dead center. A ground ball to short by Homan allowed Barhorst to score as Homan reached base when Naylor threw home on the play, allowing Homan to reach second.

Griesdorn opted to load the bases with one out by intentionally walking Emily Stubbs and Laney Hemmelgarn. Molly Smith struck out the next batter, but Poeppelman's game-winning at-bat followed.

"A year ago, we lose this game, to be honest," Hemmelgarn said. "We were young. We were immature. This season, we've been in this situation before, having been down. We haven't had a walk-off win this year. I told them when they came in (before the final at-bat), I said 'We're going to go down with a fight. We're going to give it everything we have.' … It's all kind of a blur right now. I don't know how that whole sequence went. But when they walked both Emily and Laney, I thought 'It's right now.' They're either going to walk in the winning run or we're going to have an opportunity to hit for a winning run or at the very least or at very worst, we'd have to go back out and play defense."

"Give them credit. They fought back," Griesdorn said. "But I've very proud of our kids. We've got two seniors and we've got a lot of underclassmen coming back. The cupboard's not bare by any means, but we were hoping to play a few more this year. … I'll definitely remember my final game - there ain't no doubt about that."

Poeppelman pitched eight innings, allowing six hits while striking out five. She also collected two hits. Barhorst also had two hits.

Molly Smith allowed six hits while striking out five. She and Marissa Topp both had multi-hit games offensively.
Parkway 13,
Fort Recovery 0 (5 innings)

Hawk had been on pace to break Fairport Harding's Jessica Hibbard's RBI record entering the season.

She finally eclipsed that mark on Wednesday.

The Parkway senior singled home Mackenzie Sipe as part of a four-run first inning to break a tie with Hibbard with her 208th career RBI.

"I'm really grateful to have the team I do," Hawk said. "They're really supportive. They worked hard for everyone and for themselves. I couldn't do this without them."

"It ended up taking a little longer than we wanted, and I think she was pressing a little bit," said Parkway coach Mark Esselstein, who shared a hug with Hawk after the record-breaking hit. "She was getting close and then she went through a stretch where every ball she hit hard was right at somebody and that turned into outs. Teams have pitched around her a lot. She's got 16 walks and probably 12 of them were intentional. That gets a little frustrating, but it was good for her to break through. Now we can just focus on hopefully beating Minster."

After Fort Recovery pitcher Olivia Homan walked the first two batters she faced, Bailey Strickler and Hawk hit back-to-back RBI singles. Later in the inning, MaKenna Temple made it 4-0 with a two-run single.

The Panthers added more run support in the third with four extra base hits. Bailey Bates opened the frame with a two-bagger and Alyssa Miller scored her with a triple. Temple hit a triple and her courtesy runner, Madison Kroeger, scored on a wild pitch. Macy Henkle later hit her second triple of the game but was left on base.

Hawk hit a double with one out in the fourth. Her courtesy runner, Courtney Lies, scored on Bates' RBI triple. Lauren Henderson followed with a run-scoring single and Henkle made it 10-0 with another base hit. Parkway added three additional runs on a two-base error and then when all hands were safe on Strickler's fielder's choice.

Parkway finished with seven extra base hits, five triples and two doubles.

"We got good pitches to hit," Esselstein said. "We didn't chase. Homan usually doesn't walk too many. So it was big that we took advantage of some walks early. MaKenna Temple had a big hit with two outs in the first. She's been swinging the bat really well for us. Overall, the kids hit the ball on the nose and ran the bases well."

On the other side of the spectrum, the Indians struggled to get hits. Hawk also limited them to one hit over five innings, striking out five and walking just one. Bailee Tebbe had the lone hit for the Indians, who finish with a record of 9-13.

"The season was good," Fort Recovery coach EJ Stephen said. "We could have ended better. The girls just have to believe they can do better. That's pretty much all it is. They come into a game like this seeing Parkway and they get down more than they should. They can come in and win a game like this. They just have to come out 100 percent like they have been every now and then."

Henkle went 3-for-3 with two triples for the Panthers (19-4). Temple also went 3-for-3 with a triple, Bates went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple while Miller and Hawk each collected two hits.

Parkway now gets its rematch against Minster. The Panthers defeated the Wildcats at this stage last year by a score of 13-5.

"The first time around, we dug ourselves a hole right off the bat," Esselstein said. "Hopefully we come out a little stronger and ready to go. It should be a great game."