Jonathan Alder earns its first trip to state

Jonathan Alder 8, Springfield Shawnee 7: Mandy Watson hit a two-run double in the top of the seventh inning to lift Jonathan Alder in a Division II regional final at Mason yesterday, clinching the school’s first trip to a state semifinal.

The Pioneers (27-1) trailed 7-4 in the fifth before consecutive RBI singles by Taylor Gaerke and Brooke Foster set the stage for Watson. Foster went 4 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI.

Trailing 1-0 after one inning, Jonathan Alder scored four runs, three coming on RBI singles by Gaerke, Foster and Katie Lapp.

Shawnee (26-4) rallied with four runs in the third and two more in the fourth against Watson, whose seven innings of work yielded nine strikeouts and the victory. Licking Valley 10, Logan Elm 0: Shelby McCombs and Kori Locke hit backto-back homers in the first inning, and Licking Valley (26-4) defeated Logan Elm (21-9) in a six-inning Division II regional final at Pickerington Central.

McCombs also pitched the shutout for the Panthers (26-4), the defending state champions, who scored six times in the first inning. McCombs allowed one hit and struck out six.

A two-run single by Payton Brownlee ended the game via the run rule. Carly Skeese and Shelby Robinson each doubled for Licking Valley. Bloom-Carroll 18, Bloomdale Elmwood 3: Abby Grover hit two home runs, and Bloom-Carroll (27-3) beat Bloomdale Elmwood (23-4) in six innings at Bellefontaine in a Division III regional final.

Taran Alvelo pitched a complete game and struck out 16 for the Bulldogs, and she added four hits. Bloom-Carroll scored 11 runs in the sixth inning.

Kipley Detwiler, Morgan Sells and Ashlee Ireland each hit solo homers for the defending state champions. Elmwood (23-4) committed three errors and never led. Westfall 4, Wheelersburg 3: Westfall (27-3) got all of its runs in the first inning on four errors by Wheelersburg (22-2), then held on in a Division III regional final at Lancaster.

Gina Rosshirt earned the victory for the Mustangs, who clinched their first trip to a state semifinal.

Rosshirt struck out 11 over seven innings and allowed five hits. North Union 14, MiltonUnion 6: Emily Clark had two hits, walked twice, scored three runs and had an RBI to lead North Union (21-6) past MiltonUnion (19-12) in a Division III regional final at Wright State.

The Wildcats spotted Milton-Union a two-run lead in the top of the first but responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning and didn’t trail again.

Clark led off with a single and scored to spark the outburst, which also included a two-run triple by Bethany Crofut.

North Union added four runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings to maintain its advantage. Mason Jamison threw a complete game for the Wildcats.