CHILLICOTHE — The Portsmouth West Lady Senators will play for the program’s first trip to the state softball tournament since 2005 on Saturday.
The Lady Senators earned that chance by defeating Crooksville 7-0 in the first of two Division III, Region 11 semifinals at Unioto High School on Wednesday.
After defeating Fairfield 1-0 in ten innings in Saturday’s Unioto #2 district final, West wasted little time to score their first runs of the game against the Lady Ceramics.
West plated four runs in the first trip to the plate — which helped set the tone for the rest of the contest.
A one-out double by freshman Myla Mead got the Lady Senators’ offense going in the first. Emily Moore reached via an E5 to give West two runners on and just one out.
Sophomore Kate Rollins drove in Mead with an RBI ground-out to give West an early 1-0 advantage. Sophomore Kaylor Pickelsimer drove in Moore with an RBI single and later scored herself on a passed ball.
After senior Abie Boland singled, freshman Maci Bradford got her day going at the plate.
Bradford drove in the fourth West run of the frame with an RBI double to put West ahead 4-0 in the first.
“We talked about needing to strike first. We knew that we were the home team and started a little slow last game. Wanted to strike early and get an early lead,” West coach Dani Coleman said, afterwards. “That’s what they did — girls bats were really nice today.”
“I think our bats were on fire. That was a big confidence boost because we started out well and finished good,” Boland said.
Bradford would drive in the final three runs for the Lady Senators on the day.
After going 3-for-3 in Saturday’s district final win, Bradford again went a perfect 3-for-3 — driving in two runs with a single in the third and sending an RBI double into the outfield in the fifth.
“I really just try to see the ball as best I can, make solid contact every time,” Bradford said. “Do as best I can for my team.”
“She’s been working all season — they call her the ‘hefty lefty’. She’s just a freshman and has a great eye,” Coleman said, of Bradford. “Works a lot on her mindset and that’s come a long way. She comes from a family of great softball players and she’s got that competitive edge.”
In the field and in the circle, West’s battery unit of junior pitcher Sydney McDermott and Boland were simply lights out.
McDermott tied a career-high with 18 strikeouts of Crooksville batters, allowed just two hits, and issued two walks.
Her career-high couldn’t have come at a better time — as now the Lady Senators are one of eight teams that will compete for a D-III state championship.
“I have a really good defense and I know I can trust them,” McDermott said. “I just take it one pitch at a time, execute my mechanics, and I have a great catcher behind the plate.”
“Mike (Payne), my assistant, and Sydney and Abi go full throttle. We have everything planned to a tee before we step on the field,” Coleman said. “She and Abi two of the biggest hearts on the team. Whenever they’re on, they’re unstoppable.”
West will face Wheelersburg on Saturday in the Region 11 championship game with a trip to the state tournament on the line. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. right back at Unioto High School.
It being all-Southern Ohio Conference regional final between the Lady Senators and Lady Pirates, Coleman said her team is ready for their third opportunity against their cross-county foes.
During the regular season, Wheelersburg won both matchups — 9-5 at West on April 14 and 6-3 at Gene Bennett Park on April 27.
“It’s going to take a lot of preparation and good mindset, especially at the plate. Whatever pitcher they (Wheelersburg) throw, we need to be ready for them. I feel like the girls are ready for that,” Coleman said. “We get a lot of shots, I feel like we just need to finish and close. It would mean the world to us to move on — I just know it’s going to be a dog fight.”
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BOX SCORE
Crooksville 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 2 2
Portsmouth West 4 0 2 0 1 0 X — 7 13 0
Crooksville hitting
R. Chamberlin 0-2, BB
M. Headley 0-2, BB
G. Peck 1-3
E. Wilson 1-3
West hitting
Emma Sayre 1-4
Myla Mead 2-4, R
Emily Moore 3-4, 2R
Kaylor Pickelsimer 1-3, R, RBI
Kate Rollins 1-3, 2R, RBI
Abie Boland 2-3
Maci Bradford 3-3, 4RBI
Acie Stone 0-1, R
Pitching
M. Headley (C) 6IP, 13H, 4ER, 0BB, 1K (L)
Sydney McDermott (W) 7IP, 2H, 0ER, 2BB, 18K (W)
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