High school softball: Medina rally comes up short against Highland

AKRON — Highland sophomore Alexis Mutch gave her team a spark Thursday night, then she extinguished the Medina softball team's flame. Both plays led the Hornets to coming out on top in an intense 6-4 Medina County rivalry game that was played on Firestone Stadium's turf fields under the lights due to muddy conditions at both schools. With the game still scoreless, Mutch smashed a triple just past the reaching hand of right fielder Sammi Rambo to lead off the fifth inning. She later scored the first of her team's five runs in the inning on a single by freshman Elsa Riedy that dropped just in front of left fielder Hope Rhodes with the bases loaded. Mutch ended the game with the bases loaded by making a leaping catch at second base on a line drive by Cece Sammon. "It feels really great," Mutch said. "We came out ready to play. We were hot today. Ashley (Brewster) did really good pitching today and (catcher) Elsa (Riedy) had really good throw downs." Riedy came through for Highland after the Bees (0-1) opted to walk senior Emily Miller (2-for-3, double, run) to load the bases. "Bases loaded, I knew I just needed to lock in and get a hit," Riedy said. "I hit a foul and was like okay, the next pitch I hit it and I was really happy." The game was the season debut for Medina after the home opener against Highland was delayed two days and Wednesday's game with Strongsville was washed out. It was also the head coaching debut for Holly Phillips, who took the field against the Hornets after an extended stint as their assistant coach. Kiley Martin followed Riedy by reaching base on a throwing error that cleared the bases and scored on a wild pitch. Medina responded in the sixth inning when Carley Ostendorf reached on a two-out error that scored Ryann Allar and Sammi Rambo. Prior to the error, Brewster was controlling the game from the circle for the Hornets (2-0). The senior finished her complete game by allowing only one earned run on six hits and seven walks. She struck out 12 and threw 152 pitches, including 89 strikes. "Ashley was so good," Riedy said. "I fell like the pitcher-catcher relationship is so important, and I feel like we're forming that. We trust each other, and I'm really happy how the season is going." Medina pitcher Addie Connelly was nearly as effective, allowing two earned runs on nine hits and four walks while striking out five in a complete game. She threw 73 strikes out of 122 pitches. After Brewster led off the seventh with her second hit, she scored an insurance run when Riedy reached base on an error for her second RBI. In addition to her offensive contributions, Riedy picked off Allar in the first inning and caught Katie Rubino trying to steal second in the third. That insurance run nearly proved critical, as Medina rallied to bring eight to the plate in the home half of the seventh. Bella Case reached on a one-out error and Allar had her second hit in as many innings before Rambo drove in both with a single. With two outs, Sadie Hill drew a walk and Carley Ostendorf singled in the hole between shortstop and third base to load the bases. "We need to keep this energy up for every single game," Mutch said. "This was probably our most intense game we've played, and we did good under the pressure." Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Highland 6, Medina 4 HIGHLAND 000 050 1 — 6 9 3 MEDINA 000 002 2 — 4 6 2 WP — Ashley Brewster (2-0) 7 innings, 4 runs, earned, 6 hits, 7 walks, 12 strikeouts. LP — Addie Connelly (0-1) 7 innings, 6 runs, 2 earned, 9 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts. Highland (2-0) — Alexis Mutch single, triple, run; Ashley Brewster 2 singles, 2 runs, walk; Emily Miller single, double, run, walk; Elsa Riedy single, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, walk, 2 stolen bases; . Medina (0-1) — Ryann Allar 2 singles, 2 runs, 2 walks; Sammi Rambo 2 singles, 2 RBIs, run, walk; Carley Ostendorf 2 singles.