High school softball: Buckeye gets swept in last-minute doubleheader by Midview

EATON TWP. — The Midview softball team was in danger of not having an opponent for senior day after Brookside had to cancel because of injuries. Buckeye, which was scheduled to play in the Keystone round-robin Saturday, pulled out to give the Middies an opponent. The Bucks lost the first game 5-1 and the second 10-4 in non-league action. "I've been around a long time, and it's a tight community." Buckeye coach Dale Dawson said. "We know the coaches and some of the (Midview) families and we appreciate the bigger picture of things, so we made the decision to come play them." The Bucks (9-3) held an early 1-0 lead without the benefit of a hit, as Cassy Minarchick was hit by a pitch and Eleanor Shaw drew a walk. After moving up on a wild pitch, Ava Piovarchy sent Minarchick home with a grounder to second. Faith Shaw led off the fourth inning with a triple over the center fielder's head, but pitcher Savannah Holcomb was able to keep the run from scoring with a strikeout before a bunt went straight to the pitcher for an easy flip to the plate, where Shaw was tagged out. A swinging strikeout later left the runner at first, setting up the biggest half-inning for Midview (7-4). Bucks ace Lilly Young only allowed one hit through three innings and had struck out five when a Middies power surge took control of the game. Dezirae Thomas led with a laser off the top of the center-field fence for a home run. A walk to Holcomb and a wind-blown single off the bat of Savannah Presser that just eluded center fielder Shaw set up Jillian Vandersluis, who blasted a three-run homer deep over the left-field fence for a 4-1 lead. "That's a good team right there. Lilly competed, the team competed and Midview just put together some good at bats on pitches over the plate," Dawson said. "We needed that run when Faith (Shaw) hit the triple. That was a big strikeout, and we tried to make something happen with the bunt, but it just went right back to the pitcher." Buckeye began cooking again in the fifth when Maddie Wilhelm reached on a perfect bunt. She tried taking two bases a passed ball and was out at third. Shaw banged a double to right-center with one out in the sixth, but the Bucks couldn't get her home. Holcomb got a pop fly to second and her eighth strikeout to end the threat. "We were so grateful that they (Buckeye) were able to do this for us so that we could have our senior day," Middies coach Cassie Haight said. "It spoke volumes about how communities can come together and make things work. Because of some family stuff, we had to rush our senior night and Buckeye really came through for us." Game 2 went sideways for the Bucks out of the gate, as Midview freshman Hailey Dye smashed a grand slam in the first inning. The Bucks did pick up the pace offensively, banging out seven hits. Shaw had a pair to go with singles by Sarah Michaels, Elanor Shaw, Sienna Berthold, Maddie Wilhelm and McKenzie Cenname. Contact Jim Brady at sports@medina-gazette.com. Midview 5, Buckeye 1 BUCKEYE&emsp;100 000 0 — 1 4 1 MIDVIEW&emsp;000 401 x — 5 4 0 WP — Savanna Holcomb 7 innings, earned run, 2 walks, 2 hit batters, 8 strikeouts. LP — Lilly Young 6 innings, 4 earned runs, walk, 10 strikeouts. Buckeye (9-2) — Faith Shaw double, triple. Midview (6-4) — Dezirae Thomas solo home run; Nina Ballachino double, solo home run; Jillian Vandersluis three-run home run. Midview 10, Buckeye 4 MIDVIEW&emsp;500 011 3 — 10 13 0 BUCKEYE&emsp;002 002 0 — 4 7 2 WP — Vandersluis 7 innings, 4 earned runs, 2 walks, 2 hit batters, 3 strikeouts. LP — Olivia Piovarchy 6 2/3 innings, 10 runs, 9 earned, 13 hits, 4 walks, strikeout. Midview (7-4) — Thomas 2 singles, double, RBI, 2 runs; Vandersluis single, double, walk, RBI, 2 runs; Hailey Dye grand slam, 5 RBIs; Mallory Hechko single, double, run; Savannah Presser 2 singles. Buckeye (9-3) — Shaw 2 singles, 2 RBIs.