In only their second appearance in a district title game in program history, the Streetsboro Rockets’ softball team’s upset bid unraveled in the seventh inning, losing 2-1 in walk-off fashion against Portage County and Metro Athletic Conference rival Field in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division Iv Northeast 4 district title game last Thursday at Massillon Washington High School in Canton.
“Especially the way that the game ended is heartbreaking, being ahead going into that seventh inning and just seeing some things not go our way and to lose in that manor after the girls had played some tremendous softball in the first six innings,” said Coach LeRoy Moore. “Kudos to the girls for being able to put together a game that way,”
The Rockets (14-13, 8-5) held a 1-0 lead entering the bottom half of the seventh inning but Field loaded the bases with no outs.
Having hurled six scoreless innings, junior pitcher Amy Rein had navigated through several scoring threats by the Falcons but still had maintained the Rockets’ slim advantage.
In the seventh inning, Field Senior center fielder Addy Lay led off with a single to right field and freshman Rylan Huddleston entered the game as a pinch-hitter and delivered a sacrifice bunt, advancing Lay to second base and reached first base safely on a throwing error.
Rein intentionally walked senior first baseman Lilli Sutkowy to load the bases and set up the force play at home but junior second baseman Grace Hoskin ripped a game-tying RBI single to center field.
Huddleston scored on the hit from second base and slid home as the game-winning run as the Rockets’ throw home was too late because of a catching error, propelling the Falcons to the regional round of the OHSAA Division IV postseason.
“We had a play at the plate that would have possibly tagged out that winning run score, but the ball just didn’t bounce our way and the runner was able to score and win the game,” noted the third-year coach.
Rein finished the game hurling six-plus innings, surrendering two runs (zero earned) on seven hits, two walks and struck out six batters.
“It was Amy’s game to win or lose because of the effort she was putting forth in the circle,” Moore said. “We were in some tough jams earlier in the game, but Amy was throwing some good pitches and hit her spots to get out of those jams so again I think she controlled the game really well in the circle.”
The Rockets’ only run came in the top of the fourth inning when sophomore third baseman Mallorie Gierke laid down a safety squeeze to plate sophomore shortstop Ella Simpson.
It marked the end of the season for the Rockets, who experienced a rollercoaster of a season, flirting with a sub .500 record but hit their stride at the right time, riding a five-game winning streak into the district championship to face off against a familiar foe in Field,
Moore acknowledged that it was a difficult way for Streetsboro’s season to end but credited his team for surging late and once again recording a historic season, qualifying for the district title game for the first time in 32 years and only the second time in school history.
“This was a challenging year for us as a team and coaches because if you look back over our schedule this year and what some of our scores were, you saw a lot of inconsistency in our play in regard to teams that we would go up against,” he added. “The first time that we saw them, they mercy-ruled us and the second time that we played them we made the games competitive.”
In only three years since taking the helm, Moore has coached the Rockets to several milestones, with his inaugural year being the first time in two decades that Streetsboro won a sectional playoff contest, last year being the season in which the Rockets set a new school record for most wins in a season and this year marking their first return to the district title game in 32 years.
Although Streetsboro will graduate seniors Brianna Denvir, Asleigh Denvir and Payton Williams, it will return four juniors and four sophomores from this year’s district runner-up squad.
“These girls are putting in the work and showing that Streetsboro softball can be competitive, so we see the progressions that have taken place over the last three years,” Moore added. “The girls should be proud of that and proud that they are turning the culture around in the Streetsboro softball program and there should be a bright future for them if they continue to put in that work.”
