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SHELBY - Colonel Crawford's district championship against Ada could not have been more unconventional.
First it was moved back a day to Friday due to Ada and Carey having back-to-back wash outs, then the game was halted in the bottom of the sixth on Friday due to rain and scheduled to resume Saturday morning. Poor field conditions thwarted Saturday and the final nine outs would be played Monday morning, on Memorial Day.
Coach Ethan Weithman and his Eagles had all weekend to stay focused knowing they'd resume with the bases loaded and no outs trailing by three. Unfortunately, they weren't able to get the runs needed and ended up as Division VI district runner-up with an 11-10 loss to the Bulldogs in a clash of No. 1 seeds.
DIVISION III: Seventh inning surge powers Ontario to first district title since 2023
DIVISION III: Madison softball flips script on 2026 season with district title
"We've had four days to talk about that eight-run inning ... you take that away, we win," Weithman said, Ada put a snowman on the board in the second inning. "We talked all year, and really stressed it the last two weeks, about the things you can't control. They stress so much — especially with a young team — about little things, so we harped on it this week about not worrying about things you can't control, worry about the things you can control."
It was a thrilling championship, as to be expected with two top seeds. Colonel Crawford struck first with a trio of runs in the first inning as Olivia Friley opened with a lead-off home run out of centerfield and Paige Allen drove in a pair with two outs.
Ada responded in a big way loading the bases with one out. The Bulldogs scored a pair on a fielding error, then three more on an error in left field. Back-to-back home runs capped off an offensive explosion and gave them an 8-3 lead.
DIVISION IV: Clear Fork softball scores 16 in the first, wins first district title since 2017
Colonel Crawford pulled one back in the bottom with Rylie Hoepf driving in Friley and then tacked on two more on a Friley double scoring Brooklyn Vanderpool and Arabella Stratton.
Ada pushed the lead to five (11-6) in the fifth inning largely in part due to an onslaught of rain making it difficult for Colonel Crawford's Aubrey Betts in the circle and the defense fielding. The Eagles began their comeback attempt in the sixth with back-to-back singles and a drawn walk by Kinley Hoepf to load the bases. Saylor Holt stepped up and belted a ball to left field to score pinch runner Hadley Davis, then Allen hit one to centerfield scoring pinch runner Peyton Rowlinson to make it 11-8 and keep the bases loaded with no outs.
But then the rain came down even more and the umpires paused the game Friday. After about a 30-minute delay and despite the rain slowing down dramatically, the decision was made to postpone due to Ada concerns of slick turf in the circle for the pitcher.
"We came in and hit Saturday, I made it optional, then Sunday we came in and hit at 6 p.m. last night," Weithman said of how they spent the days between. "They were in good spirits and they weren't stressing, which is a good thing ... this one just wasn't meant to be."
Any momentum gained on Friday was lost as the Eagles struck out twice upon resuming on Monday. Friley ripped a double to right field to score Kinley Hoepf and Holt, but that's as close as they'd get going down in order in the bottom of the seventh.
'PLAY LIKE SOUP': The motto for Rams during softball tournament run
"They responded and that's all you can ask for," Weithman said. "There have been a few games this year where they put themselves in situations to still compete and have a chance to win, and that's what they've done consistently. We had a few games where things got out of control, but for the most part ... they've done that and at the end of the day as a coach, that's all you can ask for."
The break ended up being just what the Bulldogs needed as Aubry Jordan was rattled in the circle on Friday. By Monday, she was almost unhittable with four strikeouts and two fly outs on 39 pitches.
"I think our team in general, and even myself, felt pretty good coming in today," Ada coach Jeff Bassitt said. "You have a three-run lead, there's probably just as much pressure on them as there is us. We just felt felt really good about today coming in with dry weather. They're a very talented team, but I think we're very good too. I thought if we put it together, we'll get the win."
It's a result these Eagles will always wonder what could've happened had the game finished on Friday or even been played on Saturday. Allen had two hits and three RBIs, Rylie Hoepf three hits, one run, one RBI, one walk, Betts two hits, Rowlinson and Davis each stole a base.
And as much as it stings, it was a season these seniors — Rylie Hoepf, Stratton, Allen, Bailey Betts, McKenna Potter, Lillie Teiben — will never forget.
"I love them to death," Weithman said. "I came in their freshman year and helped when Sarah (Fraser) was the coach, then it just kept going from there. I'm super proud of them because up until this point, those seniors haven't had a (memorable season). One year they were 14-10, but they got beat in sectionals every year.
"This is the most wins they've had as a group in the last two years combined ... 20 wins is the Crawford standard, it was when (Chuck) Huggins was here and hopefully we can keep building on that and get back to this.
"And one day, we'll punch through."
Colonel Crawford maybe have ended up on the losing end of the district championship game, but if there was an award for district MVP, Friley would've been the unanimous choice.
She was 5-for-5 against Ada with two runs, five RBIs, and two stolen bases coming off the semifinal win over New London where she was 2-for-2 with three runs, four RBIs, one walk drawn, and a stolen base. She hit a home run in each game and hit for the cycle across both with a triple and a home run against the Wildcats, then a single, two doubles, and home run against the Bulldogs.
For those bad at math, here's her district tournament stat line ... 7-for-7 at the plate, five runs, nine RBIs, three stolen bases, two home runs, two doubles, one triple, and one walk.
"Her work ethic is second to nobody," Weithman said. "It's what you don't see that makes her so good because that kid works, and works, and works. She plays for an elite level travel team all year long and her goal is to play college softball somewhere, but at the end of the day if you want to be good at something, it's what people don't see that makes you good."
And she still has two years left of varsity ball alongside Betts in the circle, Holt in centerfield, and Vanderpool in left field. Adalyn Bond and Kinley Hoepf at third are both freshmen giving the Eagles six starters slated to return next spring. Add in Rowlinson (jr.) and Davis (fr.) who both scored against Ada, and a promising group of rising sophomores.
"Our left side of the infield was two freshmen ... if you can stabilize that, it's huge," Weithman said. "We had a big freshman class here and a lot played JV that, under normal circumstances, would have played varsity. It gave them a little bit of time and hopefully they buy in.
"If they buy into it, they'll get their opportunities. If they don't, they won't."
[email protected] | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Colonel Crawford softball finishes with 20 wins and district runner-up
Continue reading...
First it was moved back a day to Friday due to Ada and Carey having back-to-back wash outs, then the game was halted in the bottom of the sixth on Friday due to rain and scheduled to resume Saturday morning. Poor field conditions thwarted Saturday and the final nine outs would be played Monday morning, on Memorial Day.
Coach Ethan Weithman and his Eagles had all weekend to stay focused knowing they'd resume with the bases loaded and no outs trailing by three. Unfortunately, they weren't able to get the runs needed and ended up as Division VI district runner-up with an 11-10 loss to the Bulldogs in a clash of No. 1 seeds.
DIVISION III: Seventh inning surge powers Ontario to first district title since 2023
DIVISION III: Madison softball flips script on 2026 season with district title
"We've had four days to talk about that eight-run inning ... you take that away, we win," Weithman said, Ada put a snowman on the board in the second inning. "We talked all year, and really stressed it the last two weeks, about the things you can't control. They stress so much — especially with a young team — about little things, so we harped on it this week about not worrying about things you can't control, worry about the things you can control."
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It was a thrilling championship, as to be expected with two top seeds. Colonel Crawford struck first with a trio of runs in the first inning as Olivia Friley opened with a lead-off home run out of centerfield and Paige Allen drove in a pair with two outs.
Ada responded in a big way loading the bases with one out. The Bulldogs scored a pair on a fielding error, then three more on an error in left field. Back-to-back home runs capped off an offensive explosion and gave them an 8-3 lead.
DIVISION IV: Clear Fork softball scores 16 in the first, wins first district title since 2017
Colonel Crawford pulled one back in the bottom with Rylie Hoepf driving in Friley and then tacked on two more on a Friley double scoring Brooklyn Vanderpool and Arabella Stratton.
Ada pushed the lead to five (11-6) in the fifth inning largely in part due to an onslaught of rain making it difficult for Colonel Crawford's Aubrey Betts in the circle and the defense fielding. The Eagles began their comeback attempt in the sixth with back-to-back singles and a drawn walk by Kinley Hoepf to load the bases. Saylor Holt stepped up and belted a ball to left field to score pinch runner Hadley Davis, then Allen hit one to centerfield scoring pinch runner Peyton Rowlinson to make it 11-8 and keep the bases loaded with no outs.
But then the rain came down even more and the umpires paused the game Friday. After about a 30-minute delay and despite the rain slowing down dramatically, the decision was made to postpone due to Ada concerns of slick turf in the circle for the pitcher.
You must be registered for see images attach
"We came in and hit Saturday, I made it optional, then Sunday we came in and hit at 6 p.m. last night," Weithman said of how they spent the days between. "They were in good spirits and they weren't stressing, which is a good thing ... this one just wasn't meant to be."
Any momentum gained on Friday was lost as the Eagles struck out twice upon resuming on Monday. Friley ripped a double to right field to score Kinley Hoepf and Holt, but that's as close as they'd get going down in order in the bottom of the seventh.
'PLAY LIKE SOUP': The motto for Rams during softball tournament run
"They responded and that's all you can ask for," Weithman said. "There have been a few games this year where they put themselves in situations to still compete and have a chance to win, and that's what they've done consistently. We had a few games where things got out of control, but for the most part ... they've done that and at the end of the day as a coach, that's all you can ask for."
The break ended up being just what the Bulldogs needed as Aubry Jordan was rattled in the circle on Friday. By Monday, she was almost unhittable with four strikeouts and two fly outs on 39 pitches.
"I think our team in general, and even myself, felt pretty good coming in today," Ada coach Jeff Bassitt said. "You have a three-run lead, there's probably just as much pressure on them as there is us. We just felt felt really good about today coming in with dry weather. They're a very talented team, but I think we're very good too. I thought if we put it together, we'll get the win."
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It's a result these Eagles will always wonder what could've happened had the game finished on Friday or even been played on Saturday. Allen had two hits and three RBIs, Rylie Hoepf three hits, one run, one RBI, one walk, Betts two hits, Rowlinson and Davis each stole a base.
And as much as it stings, it was a season these seniors — Rylie Hoepf, Stratton, Allen, Bailey Betts, McKenna Potter, Lillie Teiben — will never forget.
"I love them to death," Weithman said. "I came in their freshman year and helped when Sarah (Fraser) was the coach, then it just kept going from there. I'm super proud of them because up until this point, those seniors haven't had a (memorable season). One year they were 14-10, but they got beat in sectionals every year.
"This is the most wins they've had as a group in the last two years combined ... 20 wins is the Crawford standard, it was when (Chuck) Huggins was here and hopefully we can keep building on that and get back to this.
"And one day, we'll punch through."
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Friley dazzles in districts, cupboard far from bare for Colonel Crawford
Colonel Crawford maybe have ended up on the losing end of the district championship game, but if there was an award for district MVP, Friley would've been the unanimous choice.
She was 5-for-5 against Ada with two runs, five RBIs, and two stolen bases coming off the semifinal win over New London where she was 2-for-2 with three runs, four RBIs, one walk drawn, and a stolen base. She hit a home run in each game and hit for the cycle across both with a triple and a home run against the Wildcats, then a single, two doubles, and home run against the Bulldogs.
For those bad at math, here's her district tournament stat line ... 7-for-7 at the plate, five runs, nine RBIs, three stolen bases, two home runs, two doubles, one triple, and one walk.
"Her work ethic is second to nobody," Weithman said. "It's what you don't see that makes her so good because that kid works, and works, and works. She plays for an elite level travel team all year long and her goal is to play college softball somewhere, but at the end of the day if you want to be good at something, it's what people don't see that makes you good."
And she still has two years left of varsity ball alongside Betts in the circle, Holt in centerfield, and Vanderpool in left field. Adalyn Bond and Kinley Hoepf at third are both freshmen giving the Eagles six starters slated to return next spring. Add in Rowlinson (jr.) and Davis (fr.) who both scored against Ada, and a promising group of rising sophomores.
"Our left side of the infield was two freshmen ... if you can stabilize that, it's huge," Weithman said. "We had a big freshman class here and a lot played JV that, under normal circumstances, would have played varsity. It gave them a little bit of time and hopefully they buy in.
"If they buy into it, they'll get their opportunities. If they don't, they won't."
[email protected] | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Colonel Crawford softball finishes with 20 wins and district runner-up
Continue reading...
