By Drew Terhall

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — With the team down to their final outs, the Greenville High School softball team completed the season sweep over Troy High School with a walk-off 2-1 win at Stebbins Field on March 28. Senior Kylie Hamm delivered the game-winning RBI.

Head coach Jerrod Newland said it was a big win for the team, even if it took them awhile to realize they won the game.

“I don’t think they knew the game was over after she touched first, that was the best part. I was ready to celebrate and no one else was,” Newland said. “Great win, you can’t say enough about the seniors. Great team win led by the seniors.”

Four batters came to the plate for the Lady Wave in the bottom of the seventh inning. They were down 1-0 and needed a spark quickly. Senior and last year’s All-MVL First teamer Ashlyn Zimmer led the inning off with her second double of the game.

Senior Alaina Baughn then reached base on an error by Troy. That put runners on second and third base with no one out.

After Troy got the next batter out, the battle of last year’s All-MVL First teamers began. Hamm and Troy senior Abigail Welbaum both made the first team last season as pitchers.

Hamm wouldn’t let Welbaum get the best of her as she kept fouling off pitch after pitch. Eventually, Welbaum threw a wild pitch and Zimmer scored to tie the game, 1-1.

With the runner at third now, Hamm hit the ball down the first base line to score the runner and secure the win. Newland said it was a good program win led by the seniors.

“I don’t know the exact, they will tell me in the scorebook, we had 13 or 14 pitches fouled off, fouled off. It was two first team all-league pitchers going at it right there in Welbaum and Hamm last year. Then at bat, two first teamers. Our seniors stepped up and won the game for us,” Newland said.

It was a pitching duel throughout the whole contest. The first hit of the game didn’t come until the fifth inning. Troy scored the first run of the game in the sixth.

Welbaum gave up three hits and had six strikeouts. For Greenville, sophomore Zoey Burns gave up four hits and racked up eight strikeouts. Both pitched the whole game for their team.

This game played out differently than their win at Troy on March 27. In that game, they scored four runs on 10 hits. Newland said the pitching and defense helped them find a way to win this game against a great coach and program.

“Good teams find ways. At the end of the year, these will be two of the better teams in the MVL,” Newland said.

Greenville will travel to Fairborn on March 31 for their next game. They will then host a double header on April 1 against Minster and Beavercreek. First pitch for the Minster game is set for noon with the Beavercreek game following.

Contact Daily Advocate sports editor Drew Terhall at [email protected]