Unfortunately for the Walsh Jesuit softball team, one game that made up just four percent of its season will be the one the Warriors will remember for a while.
It was a 7-0 loss to Westerville Central on June 6 that eliminated the Warriors in the Division II state semifinals at Firestone Stadium.
It was also a game Walsh Jesuit (23-2) should forget as soon as it can after a season of excellence.
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“They set a new benchmark for our program,” Warriors coach Charlie Schrader said. “They changed the culture of what this program was before I stepped in here. I give them all the credit. I just came in and gave them the guidance to change the program for the better.
“I’m not saying it wasn’t good. I just think our job and and their job was to make it even better. Their mantra was finish the job, and they finished the job. We don’t always win in life. It’s how you approach a season, and we won. They’re a team I’ll never forget. They brought a competitive fire back in me.”
What 2026 did for Walsh Jesuit softball
Like Schrader said, the program was very good before he took over the reigns earlier in the spring.
It was a dynasty that had won four consecutive district titles before this season and was ready to get over the regional hump.
Walsh did that by beating Perry 12-0 and then topping Amherst 6-2 to win Region 6. That put the Warriors in a state semifinal for the first time since 2016.
“I’m proud of our team and especially my class,” senior center fielder Ella Girard said. “I think we were overlooked all our high school career. We had really good players in front of us. I think that this was the year no one expected us to get here, but we rose above everything.”
How Walsh Jesuit softball took a big step forward
Walsh did so by opening the season with a 6-1 loss to Baldwin, Pa., and then reeling off 23 consecutive wins against the toughest RPI in the state.
The Warriors’ only loss in the Buckeye state came to the Warhawks in the semifinals, which shows you just how big a step the team took.
“I knew we had a great group,” Walsh pitcher Katie Lippencott said. “This year we really put it together. Despite the fact I’m disappointed in how it ended, I’m proud we got to this point as a team.”
That team will lose senior starters Girard, Lippencott, Renee Brown, Brynn Mineard and Claire Gardner.
What it won’t lose is the quest to join the teams of 2002, 2004 and 2016 and win a state title.
Girard talked about cracking the door open for 2027.
Lippencott pointed to the path this team showed for the future.
Brown wrapped it up with the words you’d expect from a captain.
“We as captains try to make it as easy as possible for the next people to take leadership of what we left behind,” she said. “We have trust in the next group to do exactly what we just did.”
Brad Bournival can be reached by email at bbournival@usatodayco.com and is on X at @bbournival.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Walsh Jesuit softball falls to Westerville Central, looks ahead to 2027
Reporting by Brad Bournival, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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By Brad Bournival, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
