CLYDE (Crawford County Now) — After a slow start to the season, Wynford was making an improbable run for a second consecutive appearance in the regional tournament.
Standing in the Royals’ way were the No. 1 seeded Margaretta Polar Bears in their Division VI district final game at Joe Wilson Field.
Despite being the perceived underdog, the Royals came within a whisker of their regional goal. Wynford’s Rylee Robinson matched the Bears’ Cassidy Lane pitch-for-pitch into the 10th inning with the game tied 2-2.
The game ended abruptly when Margaretta third baseman Lucy Edwards drove an 0-1 pitch over the left field fence —driving home Ellianna Young, who had opened the inning with a single — to send the Bears to the regional tournament next Wednesday.
While admitting that he didn’t have a 2-run dinger in the bottom of the 10th on his Bingo card, Margaretta coach Mike Williamson wasn’t totally shocked.
“We had a good feeling (Edwards) was going to get ahold of something there,” Williamson said. “She’d been on it all game. With her, Cass (Cassidy Lane), and Brooke (Hastings), it’s hard to get around our 3-4-5 hitters. They’ve been lights out all year.”
Edwards’ bomb concluded a classic pitchers’ duel between Robinson and Lane. Both gave up eight hits, both struck out nine and walked three.
Wynford (9-13) broke a scoreless tie with two in the third inning. Erin Wolfe led off with a single and moved up on a wild pitch. Makaila Morrison struck out but was safe at first when the third strike got by the catcher.
Wolfe was retired on a fielder’s choice by Lily Laipply, but Kate McGuire doubled home Morrison and Robinson brought home Laipply with a ground out.
“Being the visitor (on the scoreboard) actually worked,” Wynford coach Chelsea Rice said. “We got to score first. I like to attack first. But coming down to the 10th inning, being the home team kind of works and has its advantages.”
Robinson almost made it stand up. The senior righthander blanked the potent Margaretta (19-5) offense over five innings. Then the Bears chipped away, scoring single runs in the sixth and seventh to send the contest to extra frames.
In the sixth, Edwards singled. Lane forced her at second before Hastings hit a drive into the gap in right center field where the ball caromed off the glove of the right fielder, putting runners on second and third. Isla Palomo grounded out to second to bring home Lane.
Ellaynah Schaefer doubled with one out in the seventh. After a strikeout, Edwards’ clutch two-out single tied the game at 2-2.
“Everybody had some clutch hits, clutch defense out of everybody. It was a total team effort,” Williamson said. “Cass — she’s a workhorse on the mound. She probably threw 150-160 pitches, I’m guessing.”
Wynford had a golden opportunity in the fifth to put at least one insurance run on the board that, theoretically, could have been the difference in regulation.
The Royals had runners on second and third with none out. Morrison was out at the plate on a fielder’s choice with McGuire reaching and Laipply moving to third.
Laipply then attempted to score with no one covering the plate, but the umpires ruled she left after the ball was returned to the pitcher in the circle and she was called out. Robinson followed with a 2-out single, but no runner scored.
“We left some runners out there, but we also made some great plays,” Rice said. “We also outran a lot of plays. They gave everything. Every single girl gave 100% today,”
McGuire had two doubles, Alivia Ritzler had a double and single, and Laipply had two singles to lead the Royals’ offense. Robinson and Wolfe had the other safeties.
Edwards had three hits, including her tater, Schaefer had a double and single, while Young, Lane, and Palomo singled.
“We knew (Robinson) was very good coming into it,” Williamson said. “During my scouting on her, there were some close games they lost this year against some very good teams. We knew it was going to be a battle.”
“I tip my hat to both pitchers,” Rice said. “Margaretta — (Lane) is a great pitcher. I always praise Rylee. To me, she is the best.”
Williamson paused before looking forward to the Bears’ matchup with Minster — a 13-0 winner over Columbus Grove — in the regional semifinal at Bowling Green on Wednesday.
“We held our ground and got some clutch outs,” Williamson said. “We’ll celebrate today and worry about the regionals tomorrow.”
Rice has to say goodbye to her five seniors — Robinson, Addison Sebring, Morrison, Briley Hildreth, and Danaiya Ridgeway.
“If you look at the records, unfortunately we are second place,” Rice said. “But if you look at the first half of the year and the second half of the year, Wynford’s come a very long way.”
Rice was pleased with the effort against a very strong opponent.
“The heart was on our side,” Rice said. “I don’t doubt our girls for one moment. It’s just one hit away from a different story.”
Box score
Wynford 002 000 000 0 2 8 3
Margaretta 000 001 100 2 4 8 0
WP: Cassidy Lane (9 SO, 3 W)
LP: Rylee Robinson (9 SO, 3 W)
HR: (M) Lucy Edwards.
Triples: None.
Doubles: (W) Kate McGuire 2, Alivia Ritzler; (M) Ellaynah Schaefer.
Multiple hits: (W) Lily Laipply, Kate McGuire, Alivia Ritzler; (M) Lucy Edwards 3, Ellaynah Schaefer.
Records: Wynford 9-13; Margaretta 19-5.
Next: Wynford season over; Margaretta vs Minster, Division VI regional semifinal, Wednesday at Bowling Green.