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Ansonia softball team under 1st year coach David Fisherback wins back to back games over Newton and Mississinawa Valley.  

Game Photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=WOACSPORTS&set=a.450734153972777

NEWTON – The Ansonia softball team is beginning to hit their stride midway through the season after recording back-to-back wins, 7-1 over Newton on Wednesday night and 8-0 over Mississinawa on Thursday.

The Tigers made a late season run last year and finished 9-2 in the WOAC, won a sectional title before bowing out in the district semi-final game 4-1 against Riverside.  Ansonia ended up 16-9 overall with longtime coach Floyd Jenkins who notched 300 career wins.

But Jenkins retired after 20 years as head coach and this season David Fisherback takes over the program.

Fisherback has had a few different coaching experiences in his career that includes basketball and AAU softball and is the father of pitcher Jordyn Fisherback who had a stellar career at Greenville High School and then she went on to pitch at Middle Tennessee State University.

The Tigers have 5 seniors on this year’s team Maddie Buckingham, Kelsey Muhlenkamp, Bailey & Brenna Schmit and Abby Kramer giving them a solid core that returns.  They also have some youth mixed in and coach Fisherback believes they are starting to gain confidence and hit their stride.

Ansonia senior Brenna Schmit raps a base hit in game vs Newton. 

“We have some girls really starting to hit the ball well now after facing some really tough early season competition; Coldwater, New Bremen and Minster who are all really good softball teams.” Fisherback stated.

“Both Coldwater and New Bremen have great pitchers, with the Coldwater pitcher going to play at Central Michigan next year,” Fisherback added.

Ansonia and Newton found themselves in a tight game for the first 4 innings on Wednesday night. 

Newton junior pitcher Cori Haines kept Ansonia off balance early ... but the Tigers adjust to pull out a 7-1 win over the Indians.

The Tigers punched across a run in the 1^st inning on an RBI single from Abby Kramer scoring Kelsey Muhlenkamp.

Newton answered and manufactured a run in the bottom of the 1^st inning with Mya Denlinger stealing home.

The game remained tied until the 4^th inning when Abbey Klingshirn stole home on a throw to 2^nd base.  Kelsey Muhlenkamp would hit a double to score Bailey Schmitt and Maddie Buckingham to put the Tigers up 4-1.

Ansonia Kelsey Muhlenkamp smacks a double to drive in two runs against Newton.

Ansonia added one run each in the 5^th, 6^th & 7^th innings to go up 7-1.

Senior pitcher Abby Kramer after a slow start settled into the game and between her fastball and change-up was able to keep Newton off balance as she went the distance giving up just 2 hits,1 earned run and had 9 strikeouts. 

“After facing some tough pitchers against tough non-conference team's, tonight, it took a little bit of adjustment for us, but we had some girls put the bat on the ball,” Fisherback commented.

Kelsey Muhlenkamp was 2-4 with 2 rbi, freshman Addison Geyer went 3-4 with a rbi and Abby Kramer and sophomore Ava Thatcher both went 2-4.  Maddie Buckingham drew 3 walks and scored 2 runs as well.

Fisherback praised his five seniors in providing good leadership.

“Our seniors have experience and have been in big games over the years.  This team is extremely fast … but we are working on a lot of fundamental things and making routine plays.  We have a really good pitcher in Abby Kramer and if we can make plays we can compete with anyone,” Fisherback stated.

Kramer would turn around and throw again on Thursday night this time in a back-yard rivalry game at Mississinawa Valley.

Kramer would go the distance against the Blackhawks throwing a perfect game. She had 10 strikeouts in the 9-0 WOAC win.

Ansonia Abby Kramer threw a perfect game against Mississinawa Valley.

Addison Geyer was 3-4, 2 rbi, 2 runs scored, Abby Kramer was 2-3 a rbi, Kyle Caldwell was 2-2 and 2 runs scored, Maddie Buckingham 1-3 with 2 runs scored to lead the Tigers in the win over Mississinawa Valley.

Ansonia is now 7-4 overall and 3-1 in the WOAC with a league loss to Arcanum.

Currently Tri-Village and Tri-County North both lead the WOAC with 4-0 records, Arcanum is 5-1 and Ansonia 3-1 with opportunities yet for the top teams to make some noise.

Freshman Addison Geyer has been hot at the plate for Ansonia and is batting .433 this year.
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Newton sophomore pitcher Austin Tippie picked up a win over Ansonia.  

Game Photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.450715313974661&type=3

NEWTON – The Indians baseball team overcame a late comeback from Ansonia pushing across the winning run in the bottom of the 5^th beating the Tigers 4-3 to remain undefeated at 2-0 in the WOAC and 7-1 overall.

Ansonia coach Dustin Hecht was feeling pretty good about the way Ansonia was playing despite a 3-game losing streak after the way they battled Versailles on Monday night.

But Newton struck big to start the game plating 3 runs in the bottom half of the 1^st inning. 

Sophomore Austin Tippie hit a long sacrifice fly to left field scoring fellow sophomore Rhett Koffer to take a 1-0 lead.  Freshman Cole Alexander scored the 2^nd run by stealing home on a play toward 2^nd base and then sophomore Will Bowser singled to left field to score senior Ty Schauer for a quick 3-0 lead for the Indians against a strong Ansonia pitcher Keegen Weiss.

Brady Downing puts a good rap on the ball in game against Ansonia. 

“Our guys have been pitching really well this year, but Weiss took one to the shoulder blade last night and I think that was a little bit of a factor in the way things started out tonight and made it a little bit tough, but he was very competitive. He's a dog when he gets out there and he'll fight all the way to the end,” coach Hecht would say after the game.

Ansonia scored a run in the top of the 2^nd inning to make the score 3-1 and that’s where the game stood until the top of 5^th inning.

Ansonia senior pitcher Keegen Weiss pitched a solid game and drove in the tying run in the 5th inning.  But Newton was able to answer another run to pick up a 4-3 WOAC win.

Tiger sophomore Cainan Robinson scored a run at the top of the 5^th inning, and they pushed another run across the plate on a sacrifice fly from Keegen Weiss scoring Lander Shives to tie the game at 3 each.

The Indians though answered right away in the bottom of the inning when Austin Tippie hit a double that scored Cole Alexander taking the lead 4-3.

Freshman Kam Ingle was able to make the tag on Ridge Gray sliding into 2nd base.

Ansonia was unable to generate a threat in the 6^th and went down in order in the 7^th inning as Newton held on for the 4-3 WOAC win.

After the game Newton coach Jordan Kopp was pleased with his team and how they responded after the late game rally by Ansonia.

“The Weiss kid is a really good pitcher and if you would have told me before the game that we're going to get nine hits when we haven't swung the bats really well of recent, I’d take that.  But when you get nine hits you expect to score some runs. I told the guys at the end I thought we left a lot of runners on base, left runs out there and made some mistakes  and struggled some with our small ball stuff, which is something we take a lot of pride in. But I’m really proud of the kids when things aren't working, you know and it's a close game to really come through and I was happy how we finished up,” Kopp stated.

Coach Hecht feels his team was right there and has been competitive in every game and with a break here or there could have a few more victories in the win column.

“Yeah, that's kind of how our seasons went. We've been really competitive almost every game we've been in. Been right there. Just a couple plays here and there could turn the whole season around. Tonight was a tough one, we came out a little flat which was a little disappointing. We had a real competitive game with for Versailles last night and I really expected that energy to carry over and we just we didn't come out with that fire today,” Hecht offered up.

There is still plenty of season for the Tigers to make some noise and Hecht is counting on his seniors to lead the squad the rest of the way.

“So far it's been a team effort this year and once our top gets going our bottom comes right along we're hitting and putting it together. That top is a lot of senior leadership that carries right on to those lower guys. I’ve got four seniors, two juniors, a sophomore and two freshmen so we have a good mix in the lineup,” Hecht shared.

The Tigers fell to 3-6 overall and 2-2 in the WOAC.

Newton was able to jump start their season by traveling to Florida where they would go 3-1.

“We got to experience great weather on our trip, and we are thankful that our school administration and school board help us out and gave us this opportunity that not a lot of schools get,” Kopp said.

“We take everybody, all 20 guys and got in four varsity games and three JV games and played some good competition,” he added.

We are a young team, but we have three arms that we're really confident in. Senior Ty Shauer, he's a lefty and has a handful of wins and gives us some experience.  Austin Tippy a sophomore and kind of a hard throwing guy, who maybe didn't have his best stuff today, but man he competed really well, and we have a freshman pitcher Cole Alexander who has had a start … but we're hopeful that this week he's going to get another if the weather holds out.  So, we’re really excited about the three arms we have, and we think those three guys can keep us in pretty much any league game we play,” Kopp concluded.

Ansonia Landyn Bowman was able to beat out an infield hit as Newton 1st baseman Rhett Koffer stretches for the ball.
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Arcanum senior pitcher Hannah Kendig had 5 strikeouts and gave up two hits to get the win over Mississinawa Valley.

UNION CITY – Mississinawa Valley hosted Arcanum in a WOAC match-up and the Hawks coming into the game have been competitive in the early going of the season.  But it was all Arcanum as they were hot at the plate banging out 21 hits on their way to a 24-0 win.

“We were a little nervous about their pitcher coming in because she has thrown a lot of strikeouts and stuff … but  I think we only had one strikeout tonight as everybody did their job,” Arcanum coach Mike Morris said after the game.

Morris was referring to Mississinawa freshman pitcher Ella Godfrey who Arcanum touched up for 12 runs in the first inning, which wasn’t the kind of start Mississinawa Valley coach Max Guillozet expected or wanted to see.

"It’s still somewhat early in the season but so far that's the best team we have seen.  They hit the ball hard, I mean, basically one through nine they hit the ball well,”  Guillozet stated.

Arcanum left the bases early to stem the damage to end the first inning with a 12-0 lead.

“I hate leaving bases early and hoped it didn't backfire on us, but I respect Coach Guillozet and didn’t want to run up the score,” coach Morris said after the big 1^st inning.

Arcanum would plate 4 runs in the 2^nd, 1 in the 3^rd, 4 in the 4^th and 3 in the 5^th inning for 24 runs.

It would be a tough outing for Godfrey acknowledged coach Guillozet.

Mississinawa freshman pitcher Ella Godfrey ran into some hot hitting vs Arcanum.

“I'll be honest, Ella pitched literally with no rest, and she won't tell me when she's hurting and one of those kids that wants to pitch and refuses to come out of the game, she has very strong character, just a freshman who’s only going to get better,” Guillozet commented.

Leading the way for Arcanum was Jordyn Garbig going 5-for-5, scoring 5 runs and 2 rbi.  Ashlyn Miller was 3-for-3 with 3 runs and 1 rbi.  Ella Flatter was 3-for-5  with 2 runs and 3 rbi.  Emilie Fout was 2-for-3 including a double and a home run.  Marli Morris was 2-for-3 with 2 runs. Matty Noe was 2-for-2 with 1 run and 3 rbi and Belle Harleman was 2-for-2 with 1 run and 1 rbi.

Freshman Jordyn Garbig went 5-5 at the plate as the Trojans racked up 21 hits on the night.

Arcanum’s early season start, and record may not indicate it at 6-7 overall and 3-1 in the WOAC, but they are a good softball team and if they continue to hit the way they did tonight coach Morris will be very pleased.

“The coaches and I were talking on our way here that none of our losses are bad losses, like Miamisburg, Talawanda, Kenton Ridge, they are all good teams and all doing well.

"So, hopefully, knowing we threw a young team to the wolves by starting four freshman and sophomores, we’re only going to get better by the time tournament starts, there won't be anything we haven't seen," Morris added.

"Hopefully we continue to hit the ball well and tomorrow get another win to get back to 500. And we can keep this thing rolling,” Morris continued.

One of the highlights of the game was a line drive homerun by Emilie Fout that put a smile on Morris’s face.

Emilie Fout hits her 3rd homerun one in each of the last 3 games.  

Yes that was good to see especially after we moved her down into the eight hole 3 days ago and she's got three home runs since, which sort of makes me look like a genius” Morris laughed.

Fout would give the homerun ball to her grandpa and grandma Steve and Christa Gruber.

Grandpa Steve & Grandma Christa Gruber get to collect the home run balls to put on display for their grand daughter Emilie Fout.

Steve has the fun job of collecting them and preparing them to put them into a display for his granddaughter.

Starting pitcher for Arcanum was senior lefthander Hannah Kendig going 3 innings with 5 strikeouts and 2 hits.  Senior Belle Harleman pitched 2 innings in relief with 1 strikeout and gave up two hits as well.

Mississinawa 4 hits came from junior Stephanie De La Torre, sophomore Cora Hoggatt, sophomore Cayde Neukam and senior Kenzea Townsend. 

The Blackhawks have just 3 seniors on the squad Townsend, Makenna Guillozet and Tori Cooley and start 3 freshman and 3 sophomores but coach Guillozet in his second year as softball coach at Mississinawa feels like they have made strides from last season.

“Before today, I felt like we've been competitive in about all the games we've played. We won just two games last year and we've already won three this year and we're still somewhat early in the season,” Guillozet shared.

The Hawk’s record is 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the WOAC.

“We just have to put this one behind us and move on,” Guillozet concluded. 

Mississinawa will play at Twin Valley south Tuesday night.

Senior shortstop Makenna Guillozet gets the out ... but the Trojans made it difficult on the defense with 21 hits in the game. 

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Freshman Addie Mills slides in safely at 2nd base in game with Milton Union.

GREENVILLE – The Bradford Lady Railroader dropped a 15-5 non-conference varsity softball game to the Milton-Union Lady Bulldogs following a 5-inning 15-3 loss to Greenville.

“We play bigger schools to get us ready to play the schools that are our size,” said Bradford coach Shon Shaffer. “If you look at our schedule, the schools that we play that are our size we’re right there with them. It’s not fun to lose against the big schools all the time.”

Bradford has two seniors; Tegan and Alani Canan and two juniors: Lex Clark and Lailah Brewer.  The remainder of the team is comprised of four sophomores and eight freshman.  

The young Lady Roaders struggled in the field giving up 8 errors while Milton-Union committed 4 errors.

“It is rough, it is really rough with this many young players,” Shaffer noted. “I keep trying to encourage the girls and to just keep getting after it.”

The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first and tacked on 3 runs in the second to lead 7-0 after 2 complete.

Bradford plated a run in the top of the third for a 7-1 score only to have the Lady Bulldogs break the game open with 7 runs in the bottom of the inning pushing its lead to 14-1.

Senior Alani Canan rips a double in game with Milton Union.  

The Lady Roaders battled back with 4 runs in the top of the fourth and kept Milton-Union off the board in the bottom of the inning sending the game to the sixth with the Lady Bulldogs holding a 14-5 advantage.

Unable to dent the Bradford plate in the top of the fifth, Milton-Union scored a run in the bottom inning giving the Lady Bulldogs a run-rule win.

“I think we’ll get there, it’s just a long process,” said Coach Shaffer. “If you put runners on bad things happen.”

Bradford freshman Vivian Harleman paced the Lady Roaders going 2-3 with a double and triple, with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Alani Canan was 1-2 with a double and a run scored; Lilly Canan went 1-3 with a run and Chloe Hocker was 1-3.

Sophomore Casey Boles delivers a pitch in game with Milton Union.

Bradford falls to 2-6 overall and is 1-2 in the Western Ohio Athletic Conference.  They will play Celina Monday night and host WOAC foe Preble Shawnee on Tuesday.

BOX SCORE

123 456 7   R   H   E

001 40X X   5   5   8   Bradford

437 01X X   15 14 4   Milton-Union

Freshman Chloe Hocker takes swing in game vs Milton Union.  

The Tri-Village softball team came up big in an early WOAC league game defeating Arcanum 5-2. (Stockton Studio Photo)

ARCANUM - The Lady Patriots softball team got a big road win yesterday taking down Arcanum 5-2 in an early season game that could have league implications down the road.

Arcanum finished runner-up the first year of the WOAC in 2022, then won the league title last year in 2023 and coming into this year figured to be a front runner defending their title for 2024.

The Patriots finished 11^th in 2022 and moved up to 4^th place in 2023.  They returned a few key players from last year’s team, including two seniors; Kiersten Wilcox, Macy Howell and one junior Emily Cantrell. 

The rest of the roster is made up of sophomores and freshman infused with new faces and returning young talent which may surprise a few with their win over Arcanum … but also serves notice to other teams Tri-Village is a serious contender for a league title in 2024.

Emily Osborne who has been at the helm coaching the Lady Patriots is in her 4^th year and has seen steady growth and improvement in the program over that time.

“This is what we’ve been preparing for … Arcanum always has a solid team from top to bottom on the field and up to bat. Honestly, they had less errors than we did tonight. We were just  able to string enough plays together to call it a win,” Osborne said.

Getting runners on base was key according to Coach Emily Osborne as she congratulates her daughter Camryn who went 3 for 3 on the night. (Kynnedi Hager Photo)

Sophomore Camryn Osborne collected three hits in three at bats for the Patriots.  She hit a solo home run to center field in the 4^th inning for the Patriots first run of the game. She also singled in the 2^nd and 7^th innings.

In the fifth inning sophomore Tai Mize sacrifice put the PATS up 2-0 that was followed up by  senior Kiersten Wilcox with a two-run double to go up 4-0.

Senior Kiersten Wilcox has been a strong hitter for the Pats during her career.  (Kynnedi Hager Photo)

Grace Fry led the Trojans with two hits in two at bats and senior Emile Fout drove in a run in the 6^th inning to get Arcanum on the scoreboard.

Tri-Village sophomore Aereonna Baker collected two hits in the game and added a sacrifice in the top of the 7^th inning to plate the final Patriot run to go up 5-1.

TV coaches talk about an adjustment with centerfielder Aereonna Baker. (Kynnedi Hager Photo)

Matty Noe collected a hit and an RBI for the Trojans generating their final run in the bottom of the 7^th … but falling to Tri-Village 5-2.

Sophomore Elizabeth Poling allowed just two earned runs against a team that puts the ball in play and generally scores a lot of runs.  She allowed 6 hits over seven innings, struck out 6 and walked two batters to pick up the win for the Patriots.

Arcanum senior Hannah Kendig threw 6 innings and took the loss for the Trojans.  She allowed 5 runs (two earned) and gave up 7 hits, struck out 7 and walked two.

Arcanum head coach Mike Morris said Tri-Village earned this win as they made the winning plays.

Arcanum is 4-5 on the season with a 2-1 WOAC record. Morris said they still have their tournament goals ahead of them and still have a shot at a WOAC crown if they can take care of business.

“We got to continue to win the rest of these league games and hope somebody knocks them (Tri-Village) off and get ready for the tournament. I don’t know who it is right now,” Morris said.

Tri-Village head coach Emily Osborne said she is proud of her team for stepping up in a big game  against a great opponent.

Tri-Village improves to 3-1, 2-0 in WOAC.

The Tri-Village team congratulates pitcher Elizabeth Poling after a strikeout.  (Kynnedi Hager Photo)
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