The Westerville Central softball team’s 21-game winning streak came to an end June 7 in the Division II state final.
Four errors proved to be the Warhawks’ undoing in a 12-4 loss to Kings Mills Kings at Firestone Stadium in Akron.
Kings (29-1), like Central, a first-time state finalist, pulled away with a seven-run sixth inning in a game the Warhawks (28-3) trailed 4-0 after two innings, but tied in the third.
Leah Mitchener was 2 for 3 with 3 RBIs, including a two-run home run in the second inning for Kings. Abby McKinney followed with a single and scored on an error to make it 4-0.
Central, making its first state tournament appearance since 2019, pulled even after senior catcher Jess Hickok walked, stole second base and advanced to third on senior third baseman Hannah Pullins’ single before both scored on an error.
Sophomore outfielder Christelle Crosier singled in junior shortstop Samantha Luke to make it 4-3 and scored the tying run on a single by sophomore outfielder Jane LeMasters.
But Kings retook the lead in the bottom of the inning when Julia Lowry led off with a home run, and put it away with a marathon sixth inning in which the Knights sent 12 batters to the plate, scoring seven times on six hits and three of Central’s four errors.
The big blows were RBI hits by Emma Myles, Grace Parkhurst, Lowry and Mitchener.
Both teams stranded five runners.
“It was a great ride,” Central coach Mike Fields told reporters in Akron. “It’s always hard to end on a loss, but you try to look at the positive side. If you go into the season thinking you will end up as state runner-up, most teams would say ‘absolutely.’ But we’re here. You have to start somewhere, and it’s been a wonderful season.”
Central Ohio teams went winless in three finals on June 7.
Licking Valley lost to Springfield Kenton Ridge 7-6 in Division IV, and Liberty Union fell to Wheelersburg by the same score in Division V immediately before Central’s game.
(This story was updated with new information and a photo gallery.)
High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Westerville Central softball falls in OHSAA Division II state final
Reporting by Dave Purpura, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Dave Purpura, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
