Conneaut prevails vs. rival Meadville 5-4

May 12—LINESVILLE — There must have been some sort of pact made between the softball teams from Meadville and Conneaut to play a longer game so that everyone could enjoy the beautiful weather on Thursday just a little bit longer as their game went nine innings.

Conneaut prevailed in the ninth, winning 5-4 thanks to Eliza Harrington's base running and an RBI single from Brooke Wise.

It was yet another highly-entertaining Region 5 softball contest.

"It usually is that tight in Region 5 play," said Conneaut head coach Jason Onderko. Any night or any day, anybody can knock off anybody. You just have to bring it and we did."

Conneaut started pitcher Wise, who lasted five innings before she tagged out for Linda Shepard. Starting pitcher for Meadville, Rylee Kregel, played nearly all of the nine-inning game.

Both teams played a defensively solid game to start. The first scoring play of the game came in the second inning as Shepard cranked a triple and then was batted home by Ashlee Barabas.

Meadville immediately answered in the third with hits from Addyson Kregel and Teagan Reichel to go up 2-1.

The game then hit a low-point in terms of scoring with both pitchers and defenses not allowing runs until late in the game.

"It was just an off night to start," said Onderko regarding his team's batting. "Finally they started seeing the pitches they wanted to see and swinging at the pitches they want to swing at rather than letting their pitcher dictate their at-bat."

This hitting funk lasted until the seventh inning. Down one and with the game on the line, Shepard came up big again for Conneaut, scoring a solo home run to tie the game at two and force extra innings.

"We responded," said Onderko. "We finally responded in about the sixth inning when we woke up and started playing."

The hits opened up not only for Conneaut, but for Meadville as well. In the eighth inning, Meadville scored two runs to put pressure on CASH again.

Katie Say would score a solo home run for the Bulldogs and a few batters later, Nevaeh Baker's single would result in another runner scoring. This made it 4-2 in favor of Meadville and once again the Eales were on the brink of losing.

"Hits came through when we needed them and big plays came through when we needed to stay in it," said Meadville head coach Renee Ashton.

Conneaut marched back to tie the game again as Wise doubled, which scored one and then later Jaidyn Jordan scored after a sacrifice fly.

A ninth inning was required to determine a victor and after Meadville failed to score. Wise's RBI single sent Harrington home for the game-winning play in the bottom of the inning.

Conneaut improved to 15-4 on the season and 8-3 in the region. They will play Cathedral Prep at home on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

"I wish we got the W, but, you know, CASH doesn't quit," said Ashton. They have won a lot of their games this year in the last inning. They're good hitters, and they're just a good team."

For Meadville, who is now 8-8 overall and 4-7 in the region, they turn their attention to General McLane at home on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

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Meadville (4)

(AB-R-H-BI) Mealy 5-1-2-0, A. Kregel 5-1-1-1, Reichel 5-0-2-1, Kregel 5-0-1-0, Say 4-1-1-1, Carr 4-1-1-0, Ashton 3-0-0-0, Schleicher 3-0-1-0, Baker 3-0-1-1 Totals 3-4-10-4.

Conneaut (5)

(AB-R-H-BI) E. Harrington 4-2-1-0, Jordan 5-1-2-0, Wise 5-0-2-2, Shepard 3-2-3-1, L. Harrington 4-0-0-1, Barabas 4-0-0-1, Shrock 3-0-0-0, Cook 4-0-0-0, Rader 3-0-0-0, Mihoci 1-0-0-0. Totals 36-5-8-5.

Meadville 002 000 020 — 4 10 2

Conneaut 010 000 012 — 5 8 3

BATTING

2B: C — Wise

3B: C — Shepard

HR: C — Shepard; M — Say

PITCHING

(IP-H-R-ER-SO-BB) C — Wise WP 5.0-6-2-2-2-7, Shepard 4.0-4-2-2-1-3; M — R. Kregel LP 8.1-7-5-5-3-12, Kightlinger 0.1-1-0-0-0-0.

Records: Meadville 8-8; Conneaut 15-4.