- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,151,736
- Reaction score
- 59
AKRON — Southeastern softball coach Kaitlyn Blair knew how the energy would affect her players at Firestone Stadium Thursday, June 4. She hoped it wouldn’t matter.
But it did, even if only for an inning.
Blair experienced the same jitters as a high school player, playing here in the 2008, 2010 and 2011 state semifinals for West Liberty-Salem. So she brought her team to some of the Wednesday games to get the feel of a stadium and a crowd that resembles what they see watching college softball on ESPN.
“I knew that we were going to have to fight some nerves because when you step out on that field, it's a whole different energy,” Blair said. “They had to take it in but not let it affect them.”
Then the first inning happened. Cortland Maplewood played small ball, four straight batters reached base on bunts and the Trojans were undone by an error and indecision. The Rockets scored three runs with only one batted ball leaving the infield.
Unfortunately for the Trojans, Maplewood had all the offense it needed because of the pitching of Addison Marker. And despite settling well into the game in the second inning, Southeastern lost 4-0 in the program’s first state appearance.
“I do think it affected them the first inning, and I don't consider it a bad thing,” Blair said. “They're always going to remember being out there in that energy, so I wanted that experience for them regardless.”
Then Blair looked at the three seniors seated next to her – Kaylee Wells, Kami Horner, Reese Wells – and reminded them that they had been in it to win it.
“You guys did great,” she said getting choked up. “You guys did so good.”
Still, the Trojans would like to have the first inning and some of their at-bats back.
Reese Wells hit Maplewood’s first batter but struck out the next one. But the Rockets turned to their small-ball identity and the inning went sideways for the Trojans.
Lexi Yannucci put down a sacrifice bunt that Wells fielded quickly. But she threw over first baseman Jolie Henderson’s head. The Rockets’ first run scored and the bunter made it to third.
Next, Raegan Krieg bunted to third baseman Addi Vanover. She looked back the runner at third, looked to first, then back to third without making a throw. Runners at first and third.
The next batter, Samantha Krieg bunted again to Vanover. This time she came up throwing to first but the runner was too fast and reached for a hit. Yannucci scored and it was 2-0.
Blair visited the mound and changed the strategy. With Raegan Krieg on third, Lauran Krieg bunted again to Vanover. This time Vanover faked the throw to first and Raegan Krieg got caught in a rundown for the second out. Then Ali Woomer singled to left to plate the third run.
“If we didn't have that first inning, it would be a tie ball game right now,” Reese Wells said was her thought as the game progressed. “On that bunt, I just tried to rush myself because I was nervous. I should have tried to calm my team down a little bit better because then it started snowballing a little bit.”
The deficit cured the Trojans’ nerves.
“We definitely had some jitters that we needed to get out, and I knew after one bad inning we were going to come in and lock it down,” Blair said.
Wells made sure of it. She finished with 10 strikeouts, walked one and allowed six hits. Woomer’s home run in the sixth was the only other hard-hit ball she allowed. And she had her defense behind her, handling three more bunts and making all the routine plays.
The seniors showed leadership to keep each other and their younger teammates focused.
“After that first inning it slowed down because we slowed ourselves down,” Horner said. “We started realizing, hey, this girl's nervous, so I'm going to talk to her, or she had a bad at-bat, when she comes in, I'm going to say something to her, calm her nerves down, because it takes a whole team.”
Marker was the Trojans’ biggest problem after the first inning. Their only hits were a lead off single by Gabby McNier in the second inning and a double to the fence by Reese Wells with two outs in the seventh. In between, Marker retired 16 straight Trojans.
“The dugout stayed up for the most part, everybody was just kind of like, ‘It's OK, we're going to get it next time,’” Kaylee Wells said. “We did a pretty good job of talking about what kind of pitches she was throwing, but she was mixing up really well. My first at-bat I got two really good inside pitches, and then I got change-ups and high pitches.”
Blair guided her team to the regional final in 2025 only to fall to Covington. Now, with seven seniors, she has taken them to Akron. Yes, there were nerves early and tears afterward, but she expressed no regrets about the game.
“Having these seven seniors has been such a blessing,” she said holding back the emotion she felt.
“You’re going to make me cry,” Horner said.
They all laughed. Then Blair continued.
“I know it didn't end the way we wanted it to, but we have made so much history, and you don't even realize it, and you guys have left your legacy at Southeastern,” she said as she looked down the table at them. “Now everybody's going to try to chase what you guys have left behind.”
Continue reading...
But it did, even if only for an inning.
Blair experienced the same jitters as a high school player, playing here in the 2008, 2010 and 2011 state semifinals for West Liberty-Salem. So she brought her team to some of the Wednesday games to get the feel of a stadium and a crowd that resembles what they see watching college softball on ESPN.
“I knew that we were going to have to fight some nerves because when you step out on that field, it's a whole different energy,” Blair said. “They had to take it in but not let it affect them.”
Then the first inning happened. Cortland Maplewood played small ball, four straight batters reached base on bunts and the Trojans were undone by an error and indecision. The Rockets scored three runs with only one batted ball leaving the infield.
Unfortunately for the Trojans, Maplewood had all the offense it needed because of the pitching of Addison Marker. And despite settling well into the game in the second inning, Southeastern lost 4-0 in the program’s first state appearance.
“I do think it affected them the first inning, and I don't consider it a bad thing,” Blair said. “They're always going to remember being out there in that energy, so I wanted that experience for them regardless.”
Then Blair looked at the three seniors seated next to her – Kaylee Wells, Kami Horner, Reese Wells – and reminded them that they had been in it to win it.
“You guys did great,” she said getting choked up. “You guys did so good.”
Still, the Trojans would like to have the first inning and some of their at-bats back.
Reese Wells hit Maplewood’s first batter but struck out the next one. But the Rockets turned to their small-ball identity and the inning went sideways for the Trojans.
Lexi Yannucci put down a sacrifice bunt that Wells fielded quickly. But she threw over first baseman Jolie Henderson’s head. The Rockets’ first run scored and the bunter made it to third.
Next, Raegan Krieg bunted to third baseman Addi Vanover. She looked back the runner at third, looked to first, then back to third without making a throw. Runners at first and third.
The next batter, Samantha Krieg bunted again to Vanover. This time she came up throwing to first but the runner was too fast and reached for a hit. Yannucci scored and it was 2-0.
Blair visited the mound and changed the strategy. With Raegan Krieg on third, Lauran Krieg bunted again to Vanover. This time Vanover faked the throw to first and Raegan Krieg got caught in a rundown for the second out. Then Ali Woomer singled to left to plate the third run.
“If we didn't have that first inning, it would be a tie ball game right now,” Reese Wells said was her thought as the game progressed. “On that bunt, I just tried to rush myself because I was nervous. I should have tried to calm my team down a little bit better because then it started snowballing a little bit.”
The deficit cured the Trojans’ nerves.
“We definitely had some jitters that we needed to get out, and I knew after one bad inning we were going to come in and lock it down,” Blair said.
Wells made sure of it. She finished with 10 strikeouts, walked one and allowed six hits. Woomer’s home run in the sixth was the only other hard-hit ball she allowed. And she had her defense behind her, handling three more bunts and making all the routine plays.
The seniors showed leadership to keep each other and their younger teammates focused.
“After that first inning it slowed down because we slowed ourselves down,” Horner said. “We started realizing, hey, this girl's nervous, so I'm going to talk to her, or she had a bad at-bat, when she comes in, I'm going to say something to her, calm her nerves down, because it takes a whole team.”
Marker was the Trojans’ biggest problem after the first inning. Their only hits were a lead off single by Gabby McNier in the second inning and a double to the fence by Reese Wells with two outs in the seventh. In between, Marker retired 16 straight Trojans.
“The dugout stayed up for the most part, everybody was just kind of like, ‘It's OK, we're going to get it next time,’” Kaylee Wells said. “We did a pretty good job of talking about what kind of pitches she was throwing, but she was mixing up really well. My first at-bat I got two really good inside pitches, and then I got change-ups and high pitches.”
Blair guided her team to the regional final in 2025 only to fall to Covington. Now, with seven seniors, she has taken them to Akron. Yes, there were nerves early and tears afterward, but she expressed no regrets about the game.
“Having these seven seniors has been such a blessing,” she said holding back the emotion she felt.
“You’re going to make me cry,” Horner said.
They all laughed. Then Blair continued.
“I know it didn't end the way we wanted it to, but we have made so much history, and you don't even realize it, and you guys have left your legacy at Southeastern,” she said as she looked down the table at them. “Now everybody's going to try to chase what you guys have left behind.”
Continue reading...
