The Aurora Greenmen softball team had a lot of things on their list they wanted to accomplish before the season started but one item was not having a season with a perfect home record. The Greenmen achieved another milestone it dominated Salem 10-0 the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II Northeast 1 sectional championship to finish with an undefeated home record last Friday at Aurora High School.
“It was good to come out and re-establish our approach in the way that we have all year,” said Coach Sam Petrash. “We hit well, we fielded well and McKennah did a great job on the mound so it was a good start to the playoff season.”
If Aurora defeats West Branch in the district semifinal game, it will advance to the district championship and face either Warren Howland or Portage County rival Field at the Jefferson Little League Complex in Ashtabula on Thursday at 4 p.m.
Aurora (21-1, 13-0) led 2-0 after the first two innings but things started to click in the bottom of the third frame when the Greenmen added two more runs on a RBI-groundout by junior second baseman Sophie Petrash and a two-run single to center field by junior right fielder Madeline Dalessandro, extending the Greenmen’s advantage to 5-0.
The decisive inning came in the bottom of fourth frame when senior pitcher McKennah Metzger launched a three-run home run to center field for her 11th one of the season, matching he season record from last year, pushing Aurora’s lead to 8-0.
Sophomore Lailah Bohanon added a RBI-single to center field and junior center fielder Avery Qualters worked a bases-loaded walk to extend the lead to 10-0.
Metzger, a Coastal Carolina University commit, dominated on the mound by hurling five innings of scoreless ball, surrendering only two hits, no walks and striking out nine batters and the Greenmen ended the game after four-and-a-half innings by triggering the 10-run mercy rule.
According to the seven-year coach, Metzger was so overpowering that Quaker batters had to shorten their swing against her and sacrifice some power for contact.
“She dominates on the mound and is very smart and sees how to work hitters and can hit her spots,” he noted. “To see her come in on the offensive side and swing the bat the way she does, it is special. You do not have too many players that can do that.”
Although the Greenmen had to wait for that big inning, their depth showed in the first two innings when they scored a run in each frame using the small-ball approach.
Throughout the season Aurora has jumped ahead early with big innings but in the game against the Quakers, that big inning did not come quickly but the Greenmen still built an early lead.
“That is what is good about this team,” Coach Petrash noted. “We can hit the ball hard and all over the park and then we can flip and play small ball to keep teams honest if we have to or if the pitcher is dominating we can flip and play small ball and try to find different ways to put pressure on defenses.”
Junior first baseman Sophie Reton plated Aurora’s first run in the first frame with a RBI-double to center field and junior Julia Miller delivered a RBI-groundout to second base in the bottom of the second inning.
“We focus on trying to score every inning,” Coach Petrash said. “We have done a very good job of that all year and then play for a big inning if we can to try and take control of the ball game.”
Coach Petrash said that there is no easy out from one through nine in the Greenmen’s line-up and the depth does not just extend to the starters but also the bench players.
“We really like our line-up and what is more exciting is that we have players who are strong hitters behind the front nine who can come in and hit,” he added. “We have a lot of strong hitters on our team, and we feel very good about that.”
Coach Petrash acknowledged that while Aurora is far from satisfied by just advancing out of the sectional championship, there is a great sense of pride within the team knowing it engineered a perfect home record.
“We love playing in front of our families and students and fans and to play well and to give them a good showing of what we are able to do is always a plus for us,” he said. “We are excited to do that.”
