Correspondent photo / Michael G. Taylor. Austintown Fitch players embrace each other as they celebrate winning the Division I regional championship over Walsh Jesuit on Friday at Youngstown State.

YOUNGSTOWN — The Austintown Fitch softball team is heading to the state final four after winning the regional championship 11-1 over Walsh Jesuit in six innings Friday at Youngstown State University. It’s Fitch’s first regional title since 1993.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Fitch coach Steven Ward. “I can’t put into words how proud I am of this program. Every girl plays a part in it. Our community rallies behind us. Our school rallies behind us. Everyone is softball crazy, and these girls put on a heck of a performance.”

They have all season. The Falcons are unbeaten at 20-0-2 and have outscored their opponents 206-19.

After falling in the regional final 5-3 to North Canton Hoover last season, the Falcons have advanced to the next step in 2023.

“Every year, our goal is to go one step further than the year before,” Ward said. “This year, our focus was to get back to this game and really play the way we know how.”

The Falcons were singing and dancing on their way to the win.

“We say that we’re one of the most serious, unserious teams,” Ward said. “If we’re not having fun, then what’s the point? We want to create an atmosphere where the girls can be themselves. They’re having the time of their lives.”

Sophomore Sydnie Watts pitched in the regional championship game last season as a freshman, and she got some redemption this time around by tossing a complete game.

Watts gave up 1 run on four hits, and helped her own cause by blasting a home run over the centerfield wall in the bottom of the fourth. It was her sixth homer of the season.

“It felt great to be back in this situation this year,” Watts said. “We came back and got the job done. This team has been together since the beginning. Our work ethic has gotten us here.

“I felt like that home run put us over the top. I felt like after I hit it, we knew we were winning it. We have a great chance of winning the whole thing.”

Watts struck out the side in the top of the first. She finished the second with another strikeout and the Falcons made it 1-0 with some small ball in the bottom half of the inning.

Freshman Morgan Roby laid down a great bunt and sophomore Samantha Severn scored on a play at the plate with a head first slide.

The Warriors (16-7) tied it up 1-1 in the top of the third, but Fitch answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-1.

“Fitch is a very good team,” Walsh Jesuit coach Tony Scibelli said. “They put the ball in play. They immediately took advantage of any mistakes we made. We made some adjustments, but it wasn’t good enough. You can’t give up more than three runs against them. Watts is just too good of a pitcher.”

Freshman Abby Toth and Roby each knocked in runs after McKenna Hogan and Kylie Folkwein walked.

Severn had an RBI single. Then, Watts made it 6-1 with her blast and the hits kept coming. Senior Madi Beaudis drove in a run and junior Ayla Ray crushed a ground rule double that bounced over the wall.

The Falcons finished with 14 hits, and senior Caitlin Mitchell ended the game with another RBI.

“They believe in each other,” said Ward. “Everyone contributes. When they execute, it’s a beautiful thing.”