“It’s definitely worth all the hard work we’ve been putting in,” said Lebanon junior catcher Molly Osborne, who was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. “You breathe a little bit, and then you remember we’ve got to go to Akron.
“I think this is the year. I feel so good about this team because each and every one of us means so much. You never know who’s going to be the next run or who’s going to get that hit or make that play. It’s really great because you know that anyone 1 through 18 can do that.”
The Warriors (29-3) also made it to state in 2012, 2014 and 2015, but they’ll be seeking their first championship in Akron.
Lebanon will meet North Canton Hoover at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday at Firestone Stadium. Elyria and Gahanna Lincoln will square off in the first semifinal at 10 a.m., and the winners will play for title on Saturday at 10 a.m.
“Looking at the trophy and everyone’s smiles, it’s such a great feeling knowing that we’re all going up to Akron to try to do something that we haven’t accomplished,” said Warriors senior left fielder Chloe Allen, who walked twice, doubled, singled and plated a run.
“This is definitely a job that needs to get done. We’re going up with a purpose, and hopefully we’re going to come home with some rings.”
Senior Alexis Strother provided some insurance Sunday with a two-run single in the sixth after the Comets (26-4) had cut the gap to 5-3 with two runs in the top of the inning.
Strother started and went five-plus innings in the circle for Lebanon. Taylor Lewis came on in relief and recorded two outs, then Strother retired the last four Mason batters to secure the win.
“All of us were so nervous yesterday and wanted to get to play,” said Strother, with the regional final postponed Saturday by a wet outfield at Centerville. “When we didn’t get to play, we were kind of upset, but we came out here and all the nerves were just gone. We came out with hot bats … and every single defensive player had a big role in helping me in the circle.”
Grace Gressly (2-for-3, two RBIs) and Ashley West (double, two runs) were among the offensive leaders for the Warriors against Mason ace Elle Buffenbarger.
“I have a lot of confidence in our lineup top to bottom, but we also have a lot of respect for Elle Buffenbarger,” Lebanon coach Brian Kindell said. “We really took some quality at-bats today. We did hit the ball hard, but we had timely hitting with our speed kids on base and things like that. The lineup flowed well.”
Olivia Popovich, Zoe Bishop and Hannah Lea had RBIs for the Greater Miami Conference champion Comets, who advanced to Akron last season and were looking for their fifth trip to state.
“It was a special year, but this is not what we had planned, so we’re disappointed for sure,” Mason coach Liann Muff said. “We had two goals this year. One was to go undefeated in the GMC, and they checked that off their list. Secondly, they wanted to win state, so this hurts. It’s going to hurt for a while. I told them I have no magic words to say except for the fact that I am the proudest coach of this group of young women.”
The Comets are losing four seniors: Buffenbarger, Brooke Rice, Meg Hubbard and Emma Niehaus.
“The example set by these seniors for these underclassmen … it is an opportunity of a lifetime to be able to play with girls like Elle Buffenbarger and Brooke Rice,” Muff said.
Rice lined a shot off Strother’s shin in the seventh inning. The play went as a 1-5-3 out, and on her way back to the dugout, Rice stopped to hug Strother and make sure she was OK.
“Me and Brooke have been friends for about three years now,” Strother said. “I wasn’t expecting her to come up to me because of the rivalry, but she’s a good friend. I knew she didn’t want me to be hurt.”
Muff wasn’t surprised by Rice’s sportsmanship.
“I see that every day,” the Mason coach said. “The level of respect that we have comes from our coaching staff and our seniors. That is who Elle Buffenbarger and Brooke Rice and Meg Hubbard and Emma Niehaus and Mason softball (are) to a T.”
The Comets dropped a 2-0 decision to the Warriors in early April. It’s two programs that have grown accustomed to butting heads at the regional level.
“We know everything about them, they know everything about us,” Osborne said. “So it’s just about getting down to the details of fielding the ball and making the plays, seeing the ball and hitting the ball, and not worrying about the environment around us, which is insane.”
“It’s never going to be pretty when you play Mason,” Kindell said. “There’s going to be ups. There’s going to be downs. They’re going to make plays. They’re going to have base runners. Elle’s going to strike some people out. But I thought from beginning to end, we were pretty solid today. Even after we fell down 1-0, there was really no panic or concern.”
Strother and Lewis combined on a five-hitter for Lebanon, striking out two and walking four. The Warriors have become known for shuffling pitchers during a game, so Sunday’s maneuvering wasn’t abnormal.
“Taylor threw awesome when she came in there. (The home-plate umpire) just wasn’t really calling her screwball, which is her best pitch,” Strother said. “There’s not much we could do about that, so we had to go back to me so I could get ’em with my curveball and changeup. I’ve kind of been struggling with my changeup this year, so being able to mix speeds helped a lot.”
Both coaches felt the pitchers dealt with a tight strike zone. Buffenbarger gave up nine hits while totaling three strikeouts and five walks.
“Our pitcher has a ton of movement on her ball, and we rely on that,” Muff said. “She didn’t get corners all day. Maybe it was both ways, but you can’t lay it over the middle of the plate against such a potent offensive team like that, and she was absolutely forced to do that today.”
The bottom of Lebanon’s order was pivotal. West, Gressly and Osborne were standouts in the 6, 7 and 8 spots. And the Comets failed to retire Allen all day in the leadoff position.
“Elle’s such a great pitcher,” Allen said. “Her rise is something I knew I had to lay off or she would dig me in an 0-2 hole every time. Her first pitch was there, so that’s the one I usually tried to hit.”
Kindell said it’s a special feeling to go back to the Final Four, but he knows the task will be taxing. Lebanon lost to Hoover at state in 2012 and 2014.
“It’s tough winning games up there,” Kindell said. “We’re going to have to have a good week of practice and just work on getting better. Nobody has to do anything spectacular. We just need to stay within ourselves and let the strength of the team work. We’re going to go up to Akron and let it fly.”
Mason 100-002-0—3-5-0
Lebanon 032-002-x—7-9-2
WP — Alexis Strother (10-1); LP — Elle Buffenbarger (23-4). Records: M 26-4, L 29-3
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