By Dan Messerschmidt
CCN Sports Director

AKRON — The end of a season is emotional for coaches and players alike.

The Mohawk Lady Warriors were no exception. With tears and hugs all around, the Warriors brought a close to their storybook 2018 softball season, but it was a memorable one nonetheless.

The Warriors could not solve Hillsdale pitcher Sydney Long and the Falcons got three early runs in support of Long, as Hillsdale outlasted the Warriors, 3-0, in the Division IV regional final at Akron Firestone Stadium.

“Nobody really expected us to be here,” an emotional Mohawk coach Mindy Walton said. “I thought we did pretty good.”

Mohawk (19-8) finished tied for third in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference, perhaps a testament to the strength of the league, before making this improbable run.

The end came at the hands of the No. 1 ranked team in the state in the Falcons. Hillsdale (25-2) is not only state-ranked, but has made the Final Four its playground, with multiple appearances, including a state championship in 2010.

“It was a great team win today,” Hillsdale coach Hannah Fulk said. “Everyone did something, whether it was hit, run, field, cheer. Whatever it was, it was a great team win.”

But the story was Long. The senior righthander struck out 14 and walked one, though she did hit two batters. However, the Warriors managed just two hits, both by Sydnee Leeth, an infield single in the second and a line shot to right in the seventh.

“She’s a good pitcher,” Walton said of Long. “She can place the ball very well. We didn’t do what we wanted to do at the plate. But again, who can be disappointed when you’re in the Elite Eight?”

Mohawk’s best chance at reaching Long came in the second inning. McKenna Hurley led off and got hit by a pitch. One out later, Aubrie Harper walked and Leeth was safe on an infield hit to load the bases.

But Long knuckled down and struck out the next two Warriors to keep them off the board.

“That’s Sydney. Usually, she just buckles down when she has to, and it was a great job,” Fulk said. “It helps that she’s a senior and knows what to do.”

On many days, Warriors’ pitcher Hannah Jordan threw well enough to win. She fanned three and walked no one. Jordan did surrender 10 hits but stranded seven Falcons’ runners to keep her team within striking distance.

Hillsdale scratched out single runs in each of the first three innings. Josie Rowland led off the first with a single and came home on a two-out double by Long.

With two outs in the second, Anna Rowland, Hattie Stamen and Josie Rowland singled consecutively to plate a run.

Kaylee Cline led the third with a single. Long forced her on a fielder’s choice. Emily Crossen followed with a single before Keirah Smetzer doubled home pinch runner Hallie Goon.

“We thought about (small ball) as a strategy early,” Walton said. “Just put it in play and see what happens. It didn’t go quite as we wanted it to. They’re just a good ball team.”

Smetzer had a double and single to lead the Falcons. Josie Rowland and Kaylee Cline each singled twice, while Long doubled and Crossen, Anna Rowland and Stamen singled.

Fulk is making her first trip to the state finals after having been there as a player.

“It’s awesome,” Fulk said. “It’s even better as a coach because you get to see their hard work and then put it out on the field. Those girls are awesome. I can’t say anything else about them.”

Jordan, Leeth, Grace Morehart, Autumn Buder, Jordyn Lease and Miranda Stallard played their last game in a mohawk uniform.

“They’re the reason we’re here, really,” Walton said. “We have six and they played their heart out.”

“We’re never giving up on our at bats,” Fulk said. “If we’ve got two outs, one out, no outs, we always want to score first. We want the other team chasing us. They did a great job of that today.”

Walton took the Warriors to the Elite Eight in her first year at the helm.

“I definitely didn’t expect that, but I’ll take it,” Walton said. “I’ll take it every year if I can.”

Hillsdale will face Bradford in the state semifinal Friday at 10 a.m. back at Firestone Stadium.

208-530-3035

Mohawk   000 000 0        0    2    1

Hillsdale   111 000 X        5    7    2

WP: Sydney Long (14 SO, 1 W)

LP: Hannah Jordan (3 SO, 0 W)

HR: None

Triples: None.

Doubles: (H) Sydney Long, Keirah Smetzer.

Multiple hits: (H) Josie Rowland, Kaylee Cline, Keirah Smetzer.

Records: Mohawk 19-8; Hillsdale 25-2.

Next: Mohawk season over; Hillsdale vs. Bradford, state semifinal, Friday, 10 a.m. at Akron Firestone Stadium.