Three Cincinnati softball teams looked to make their state tournament dreams come true as regional championships took place across the Southwest District on Friday, May 29.
Lakota East took the field against 2025 state runner-up Centerville in Division I, Western Brown looked to return to the DIII Final Four and Taylor played Kenton Ridge, seeking its first-ever state tournament appearance.
In DII, Eastern Cincinnati Conference foes Kings and Little Miami played a regional semifinal at Mason High School.
Here’s which Cincinnati softball teams are advancing in the postseason.
Lakota East falls to Centerville in Division I regional final
The Centerville Elks are on a mission to claim the DI state title one year after falling to Lebanon in the state championship.
The raced out to a 7-1 lead after five innings to deny the Thunderhawks their first state tournament bid since 2019, winning by a final of 9-2.
Lakota East recorded nine hits to the Elks’ 10, but left 10 runners on base. The runs came on an Addison Morath double in the fourth inning and a Juliette Sudnik single in the seventh inning.
Kaleigh Crawford struck out six batters but allowed 10 hits, including four that went for extra bases.
After winning 11 of their final 13 games, the Thunderhawks finish with a 25-6 record and graduate four seniors: Morath, Haley Thompson, Sophia Brown and Molly Pittman.
Kings advances to second straight regional final
With an 8-0 win over Little Miami, the Kings Knights have matched their furthest advancement in the postseason and will play for their first state tournament appearance on Saturday, May 30, at 4:30 p.m. at Mason High School.
Madi Titler scored the first run of the game in the second inning, crossing the plate on a wild pitch by Little Miami’s Bailey Thieme. Defensive miscues were the unfortunate theme for the Panthers, as four of Kings’ eight runs were the result of a Little Miami lapse. The Panthers committed a total of three errors.
In the bottom of the fifth, senior catcher Julia Lowry hit her 10th home run of the season. It was the Knights’ 37th home run, tying a program record they set last year.
Little Miami totaled three hits but put a runner on base in five of seven innings. Lyla Hatfield doubled to lead off the second inning but was stranded at third after a groundout and two strikeouts.
Neely McElhaney was splendid in the circle once again, striking out 14 batters while walking just two.
Little Miami ends an upstart season at 20-10 after winning its first district title since 2017. The Panthers graduate five seniors in Thieme, Mae Loffer, Faith Thompson, Juliette Wilkerson and Sloane Wing.
Kings will face Northmont (19-10) in the regional final.
Western Brown blanked by Greenville in state tournament repeat bid
Greenville got revenge for a 6-2 loss in last year’s DIII regional final, beating Western Brown, 4-0.
The Green Wave played small ball, with Jordyn McMullen’s third-inning home run, the only extra-base hit of the game. They scored one run in the first inning, two in the third and one more in the fourth.
Ella Oswalt kept the Broncos guessing all game as they outhit the Green Wave, nine to six, but didn’t register an extra base hit and only drew one walk.
Western Brown won the Southern Buckeye Conference-American Division for the second year in a row, accumulating a 19-1 league record in that time. It ends the year with 28-4 record and graduates power hitters Jayci Barnes and Sophie Jamison.
The Broncos should contend for a third straight league title with Charlee Helton returning to the circle as a senior and multiple offensive weapons still in the lineup.
Taylor falls to state power Kenton Ridge
The Yellowjackets’ bid for a first state tournament appearance fell one game short as they fell 7-0 to Springfield Kenton Ridge.
Taylor recorded three hits all day: Ellie Stafford has two and Olivia Habig hit an RBI double in the seventh inning.
Kenton Ridge hit a solo home run in the first inning, scored three runs in the fourth inning thanks to four singles and a pair of stolen bases, hit another solo home run in the fifth and capped the scoring with a two-run double in the sixth inning.
The Yellowjackets finish with a 19-4 record and graduate six seniors: Habig, Ava Harrison, Elisabeth Schierloh, Kate Langhorst, Morgan Raugh and Anna Prosser.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: One softball team has a chance at OHSAA Final 4. Who’s still alive?
Reporting by Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
