CLYDE – Last season, Lincolnview made it to the regionals.
However, the Lancers were knocked out by Bradford in the semifinals, 5-1.
Wednesday night, Lincolnview took it a step further, as it defeated Sycamore Mohawk, 5-4, in a Division IV softball regional semifinal at Clyde High School on a walk-off RBI single by Addyson Stevens in the bottom of the seventh inning.
With the thrilling win, Lincolnview (23-4) will face West Unity Hilltop in a regional final Friday at Clyde. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. Mohawk ends its season 21-5.
Hilltop slipped past Wayne Trace in Wednesday’s first regional semifinal at Clyde, 4-3.
“They battled all day,” Lincolnview head coach Eric Schwab said about his team. “Usually, we have double-digit hits and double-digit runs. I think that’s about our third game that we’ve won, where we scored under seven runs this year. Give credit to the girls, because they just kept battling and battling.”
After Lincolnview jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the third inning over Mohawk, the Warriors battled back and eventually knotted the game at 4 apiece by the top of the seventh.
Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Lincolnview rallied.
Lincolnview right fielder Makayla Jackman (1 for 2, and 2 walks) led off with a single to center. Kendall Bollenbacher, the next batter for the Lancers, sacrificed Jackman over to second base. Then, Stevens delivered a base hit that drove Jackman in for the winning run.
That hit by Stevens was her only one for the game. However, she was confident that she would come through in the seventh.
“It was awesome – knowing that somebody is on base, and I know I can hit the ball well,” Stevens said.
Schwab was confident that someone in his lineup would eventually come through at the plate.
“Any one of those girls in the lineup can do that (get the game-winning hit),” Schwab said. “We are pretty fortunate for everybody (in the lineup) to be solid hitters. I will stick Addy up there against anybody; and she’s going to sting the ball about every time.”
Taylor Post got the starting nod on the pitching mound for Lincolnview. Post worked 6 2/3 innings before being lifted. Sydney Fackler came in to close out the seventh for the Lancers.
Post gave up the four runs on eight hits, while striking out two and walking one. Post threw 95 pitches on the day.
Mohawk starting pitcher Bailey Sheets went the distance on Wednesday. Sheets scattered eight hits, while striking out three and walking three. Sheets threw 89 pitches in her complete-game effort.
Lincolnview scored two runs in the bottom of the second to claim a 2-0 lead. First baseman Zadria King (2 for 2) had an RBI single. Catcher Grace Brickner had a sacrifice fly to right that plated another run for the Lancers.
Lincolnview pushed its lead to 3-0 in the third, when Stevens hit a grounder to the left side of the infield, that drove in Jackman.
Mohawk tied the game 3-3 by the fifth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Lincolnview took a 4-3 lead, thanks to an RBI single by Brickner.
However, Mohawk knotted the contest at 4-4 in the top of the seventh.
“Getting up 3-0, and getting that little cushion was big,” Schwab said. “I think we gave them two runs on two errors, but they just kept battling. They’ve been having fun all year. … That’s what it’s about – enjoying the moment.”
For the game, Mohawk left eight runners on base. Lincolnview left a total of six base runners stranded.
Lincolnview committed two errors on the night, while Mohawk had one miscue in the field.
Stevens said her team is looking forward to the challenge Friday, when the Lancers face Hilltop for the regional title.
“We’ve worked hard for it; and we’re ready for Friday,” she said.
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