SOFTBALL

District finals

DIVISION III

Aurora 8, Canfield 6 — The Cardinals’ state title defense came to an end on Saturday with an 8-6 defeat to Aurora in the district final. Canfield outhit the Greenmen 16-10, but left 11 runners stranded and gave up five unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Leah Figueroa and Alexis Johnson each had three hits to lead the Cardinals, as Figueroa belted a two-run home run in the first inning and Johnson had an RBI triple in the fifth inning. Sami Economous, Marina Koenig and Sofia Castronova each also added two hits and an RBI for the Cardinals. R. Unverferth had three hits for Aurora, including a two-run double and a three-run home run.

Boardman 5, Howland 0 — Tori Strines pitched a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts and a walk to help the Spartans to a 5-0 victory over Howland for their first district title since 2011. She also had two hits, including a lead-off home run in the first inning. Ellie Wymer belted a three-run home run for Boardman later in the first inning, while Mikayla Rivera added two hits. Brooke Tatar had Howland’s lone run of the game, a double, which came in the top of the seventh inning. Jocelynn Torres and Kenzie Cherne each hit a double for the Spartans.

DIVISION IV

Lakeview 5, Marlington 1 — The Bulldogs claimed their first district championship since 2016 with a 5-1 victory over Marlington on Saturday. Lakeview got off to a fast start, scoring all five of its runs in the first two innings. Linnea Kovac led the Bulldogs with two of the team’s six total hits, while Kovac, Mackenzie Stowe and Hallie Capan each added an RBI. Marlington finished with four hits with an RBI from J. Doringo. Isabella Isenberg went the distance in the circle for the Bulldogs, throwing five strikeouts and three walks. Doringo had one strikeout and walk in the circle for Marlington.

DIVISION V

Champion 9, Poland 1 — The Golden Flashes won their third straight district championship in a 9-1 victory over Poland on Saturday. Champion scored seven of its runs during the third and sixth innings. Despite Poland outhitting Champion, the Flashes were able to capitalize on five errors by the Bulldogs. For Champion, Taylor Rouan tripled for 2 RBIs, while Gabby Gradishar doubled twice for two RBIs and Jonna Strock also hit a double for two RBIs. Leanna Boccieri, Kylie Hudran and Lily McDonald each had two hits apiece for the Bulldogs, with McDonald’s home run in the fourth inning providing Poland’s only run of the game. Gradishar pitched 11 strikeouts and no walks for Champion in the victory.

DIVISION VII

Mathews 10, Badger 0 — The Mustangs continued their historic run by winning their fifth straight district championship on Saturday with a 10-0 victory over Badger. Olivia Matheny pitched a one-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts and no walks for Mathews. Matheny, Kelsi Newsom, Maddy Hufford and Ashia Pate each had two hits apiece for the Mustangs’ offensive onslaught. Matheny, Hufford and Pate each also finished with two RBIs. Samantha Bradford took the loss for the Braves giving up 11 hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

BASEBALL

Sectional finals

DIVISION III

Howland 13, Bedford 1 — The Tigers scored seven runs in the second inning to ease past the Bearcats 13-1 on Saturday and move into the district semifinals. Steven Bubon earned the win on the mound for Howland, allowing three hits and one run across three innings, while striking out four and walking one. At the plate, Howland showed its patience, getting walked 10 times, while also stealing nine bases. Five players collected a hit for the Tigers, while Keaton Perry had two RBIs.

DIVISION IV

Girard 5, West Branch 4 — The Indians rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extras, and then Dominic Phillips scored a walk-off hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning to stun the defending state champion Warriors 5-4 on Saturday. Zach Ward led Girard with two hits and a pair of RBIs, while Camron Herrick also finished with two hits. Herrick and Dominck Tolone combined for 10 strikeouts and five walks on the mound in the win. C. Biskup and Jeremiah Thomas provided the brunt of the offense for West Branch, combining for five hits and two runs batted in. Anthony Perry pitched seven innings with nine strikeouts and two walks for the Warriors.

Ursuline 7, Niles 0 — The Fighting Irish advanced to the district round with a 7-0 shutout victory over Niles on Saturday. Rowan Urbach pitched six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and two walks for Ursuline. Anthony Triveri, CJ Snyder, Urbach and Joe Balog each tallied two of the Irish’s 10 total hits. Urbach and Thomas Kosovan also finished with two RBIs apiece. Jonathan Barrel led the Red Dragons with two of the team’s three hits, while Brighton Gilmour took the loss with five strikeouts and two walks.

Lakeview 15, Crestwood 2 — The Bulldogs struck early and often on Saturday, as they dominated Crestwood in a 15-2 victory in five innings to advance to the district semifinal. The Bulldogs’ three pitchers gave up just two hits, while combining for six strikeouts and seven walks. The Bulldogs racked up 14 hits at the plate, as Carter Doran led Lakeview with three hits and two RBIs, while Jozef Kuchcinski belted a home run and Eli Gough, Brandon Toot, and Jacob Shaker each had two hits.

Canfield 10, Coventry 0 — The Cardinals started fast, scoring nine runs across the opening two innings to cruise to a 10-0 victory over the Comets in five innings on Saturday. The Cardinals collected 10 hits, as Dylan Mancini, Tanner Stricko and Jake Dovich each put up two hits for Canfield, while Anthony Groner had a three RBI triple and Ryan Weibling blasted a three-run home run. Weibling, Groner and Noah Anzevino combined on the mound for nine strikeouts and one walk.

DIVISION V

South Range 8, Garfield 0 — Despite getting outhit, the Raiders blanked the G-Men 8-0 en route to a sectional title on Saturday. Five players each picked up a hit for South Range, while Will Gehring batted in two runs. Brandyn Bogucki led Garfield with three of the team’s six total hits, as the team left 10 runners on base. The Raiders capitalized on six unearned runs given up by the G-Men pitchers Aidan Hill and Garet Warnick, who combined for 12 strikeouts and seven walks. Brennen Klasovsky picked up the win for South Range, pitching a complete-game shutout with 12 strikeouts and three walks.

DIVISION VI

LaBrae 9, Mogadore 6 — The Vikings held off the Wildcats 9-6 on Saturday in the sectional final to advance to the district semis. Landon Brunstetter was dominant at the plate, leading LaBrae with three hits and three RBIs, as four other players each recorded a hit for the Vikings. Brunstetter threw two innings and Austin Rowe pitched five innings, as they combined for five strikeouts and four walks on the mound, while giving up six hits. Jake Hopkins and Landen Williams led Mogadore with two hits apiece, while Ryan Woitas batted in two runs.

Mineral Ridge 7, Columbiana 1 — The Rams won their second straight sectional and third in the last four years with a 7-1 victory over the Clippers on Saturday. AJ Sandy and Jackson Geddes led Mineral Ridge with two hits, as Geddes also added two RBIs. Xavier Klamer went the distance on the mound for Mineral Ridge, giving up one run on four hits, while striking out 14 and walking three. No Columbiana stats were provided.