CRESTLINE — What a difference a day makes.
The Bulldogs struggled in a 16-5 loss to Wynford on Thursday, committing eight errors in the field and collecting just five hits in the game.
Monday night, the Bulldogs were a different team, banging out 12 hits, including four extra-base hits, and committing no errors in a 6-3 win over Buckeye Central in the semifinal game of the Division IV sectional tournament.
With the win, the Bulldogs (10-8) advance to the sectional final at Plymouth on Thursday. Crestline enters the game as the sixth seed in the 12-team district, while Plymouth is the third seed. Buckeye Central fell to 3-18 on the season.
Crestline starter Brooklyn Gregory was dominant in the game, permitting just four hits while striking out eight. She walked three, all coming in the seventh inning.
“She’s a good pitcher,” Crestline coach Patty Huber said of her sophomore starter. “She’s strong, she throws pretty hard. She does a great job for us.”
Buckeye Central coach Todd Messmer also felt Gregory pitched well.
“(Gregory) painted a lot of corners and she kept our bigger hitters off-guard,” Messmer said.
Crestline took a 1-0 lead in the first on a Lillie Higgins single and a Gregory double to right-center, scoring Higgins.
Buckeye Central tied the game in the top of the third on a Bailey Holmer single, a single from Lauren Jensen, and an infield single from Olivia Sherwood.
But the Buckettes got just one hit over the final four innings, a single from Kaitlyn Best.
“I’m very pleased, much better than the other night,” Huber said. “We had eight errors the other night. Much better tonight. Very pleased and happy for the girls.”
Crestline took the lead for good in the bottom of the third, scoring three times.
Ivy Stewart and Emma Kirby each doubled, scoring Stewart, before an error, and a Maddie Engler single scored two more.
Kirby added a two-run double in the sixth, increasing the Crestline led to 6-1.
Buckeye Central got two runs in the seventh on three walks, a wild pitch, and a ground out.
“The girls did battle back, and they didn’t give up,” Messmer said. “That’s signs that we’re improving. We’re getting there. We’re building for next year. I have pretty good confidence with the players we have coming back. and we can move forward.”
Maddie Cain started for Buckeye Central, striking out two and walking four.
“We had a slow start and then we had a few errors, and they got the momentum and then we couldn’t get our bats going,” Messmer said. “We did there in the final inning, but it was a little bit too late.”
Huber felt that the Bulldogs’ bats came alive.
“We have our lineup set pretty good,” she said. “We’re solid and everybody hits. They were so settled tonight. They did a great job. I’m happy for them.”
Crestline and Buckeye Central were scheduled to play earlier in the year but the game was postponed twice. Messmer said that playing the Bulldogs earlier may have helped his team.
“It would have been nice,” Messmer said of playing the Bulldogs. “We could have gotten a gauge on her pitching and see what we needed to do to adjust in the box, but it is what it is. They did what they needed to do get the win and congrats to them.”
Box score
Buckeye Central 001 000 2 3 4 2
Crestline 103 002 X 6 12 0
WP: Brooklyn Gregory (8 SO, 3 W)
LP: Maddie Cain (2 SO 4W)
HR: None.
Triples: None.
Doubles: (C) Emma Kirby 2, Brooklyn Gregory, Ivy Stewart.
Multiple hits: (C) Lillie Higgins 3, Emma Kirby, Brooklyn Gregory.
Records: Buckeye Central 3-19; Crestline 10-8.
Next: Carey at Buckeye Central, Friday; Crestline at Mansfield St. Peter’s, Tuesday.