Staff photo / Neel Madhavan Boardman pitcher Tori Strines (9), catcher Addie Rudge (31) and third-baseman Alex Ward (15) celebrate in the infield after the Spartans’ Division III regional semifinal victory over Tallmadge.

KENT — Boardman third-baseman Alex Ward had a bit of a slow start at the plate to begin the spring. But since then, she’s found her groove and proven to be one of the Spartans’ most consistent hitters throughout the season.

“We focused a lot (on hitting) in the offseason,” Ward said. “I know, speaking personally, I took a lot of time thinking about how my approach is going to be every time I’m in the box. It’s thinking, don’t be the hero — I’m singing a song to myself to stay calm, stay within yourself and just trust your instincts.

However, none of her hits were perhaps more important than her hit on Thursday.

Ward and Mikayla Rivera blasted back-to-back RBI doubles in the bottom of the first inning against Tallmadge, which proved to be all the Spartans needed, as Boardman overcame four errors, while being outhit, to hold off the Blue Devils 2-0 in the Division III northeast regional semifinal at Kent State’s Devine Diamond.

“Big-time players make big-time plays,” head coach Fred Mootz said. “I knew (Ward) would start striking the ball. I had full confidence in her, and that’s why she’s not left that four hole for us. Mikayla is the same thing — Mikayla’s one of the best two-strike hitters I’ve probably ever coached. She shortens up her swing when she’s down two strikes and she just looks to put the ball in play. So those two hits were huge for us, obviously.”

Three of Boardman’s four total hits all came in the first inning, as the Spartans pounced on Tallmadge pitcher Larissa Taylor early.

With two outs on the board, Addie Rudge was the first to get on base with a single. Then Ward and Rivera promptly followed with a pair of RBI doubles to score the only two runs of the game. Both of their hits flew deep to center field, clearing Blue Devils center fielder Leila Staszak’s outstretched glove near the outfield fence each time.

“For my mindset going in there, it was just to hit it hard on the ground and let the rest unfold,” Ward said. “Addie Rudge gets a hit, and then it’s just a pass-the-bat mentality. We just kept going with it. You get it and you roll.”

Despite jumping on Tallmadge early, the Spartans weren’t able to build on the early runs, as Boardman’s only hit the rest of the game came in the bottom of the third inning on a lead-off single by Tori Strines.

Taylor recorded just one strikeout against the Spartans’ lineup, which means Boardman was putting the ball in play during each at-bat. But the Spartans popped up for quick fly outs 11 times.

“We’ve gotta put the ball on the ground,” Mootz said. “You can’t keep flying out. Their outfield is unbelievable. When you put the ball in the air, it’s the easiest play to make, so I preach on seeing the ball go through the middle of the field. We don’t strike out a lot as a team, but we’ve gotta do better. We’ve gotta get some insurance runs.”

The Blue Devils finished with five hits, while getting four additional runners on base thanks to four Boardman errors. The errors made things a bit dicey in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, as Tallmadge was able to move runners into scoring position during each inning.

In the top of the fifth, a throwing error over the head of Spartans’ first-baseman Leah Habeger allowed Tallmadge’s Kiera Staszak to advance to third. But Rudge was able to catch a runner trying to steal with a throw to second. Strines then struck out Aubrey Almond to see out the threat.

In the sixth, a fielding error advanced runners to both second and third. But then Tallmadge’s Payton Almond grounded out to end the inning.

Then in the final inning, after a lead-off single, Rudge was able to catch a runner trying to steal second again. With a runner on third, Boardman closed things out with a strikeout from Strines and a pop out to Habeger.

“We just stay within ourselves,” Mootz said. “We don’t panic. I tell them, if you do make a mistake, please don’t panic because it’s a fickle game and the ball goes right back to you. … We gotta clean up that part of the game obviously.”

The Spartans’ (24-4) win sets up Friday’s Division III northeast regional final matchup against Louisville with a trip to Akron’s Firestone Stadium for the state final four on the line. The Leopards beat Gilmour Academy 8-7 in Thursday’s first semifinal contest.

Boardman hosted Louisville early in the season back on March 25, coming away with a 6-0 victory.

“We played them, but it was real early in the season and it was cold,” Mootz said. “They’re a completely different ball club. Every team right now — doesn’t matter who you play at this point in time — if they’re here, they’re here for a reason.”