While the Division I sectional final was a hurdle for the Firebirds, it had been just another step along the path to the state tournament for Lebanon.
The Warriors had advanced to the state title game two of the past four years and to the state semis three of four.
“This is the round that we had found a way to make a mistake in,” Castner said Monday night at Centerville after West came from behind to eliminate Lebanon 3-2. “In the past, we haven’t been able to get the run we needed or stopped from giving up the run we needed to stop. Tonight, we didn’t do that, and I am proud of them.”
The Firebirds (19-6) will face Centerville in a district final Saturday at noon at Northmont. The Elks (18-5) defeated Miamisburg on Monday.
“To knock off the defending state runner-up is a tough thing to do,” Castner said. “But we found a way to get things when we needed them.”
For most of the night, it looked like it would be one of those mental miscues that would end West’s season again.
Lebanon took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Chloe Allen and pushed it to 2-0 in the third when Brianna Hutchinson was semi-forced to go on a ground out to short.
Hutchinson had doubled and Madison Hartman had reached on an error to put runners at second and third when Kirsten Reed grounded to short. Hartman broke for third and Hutchinson made a late jump to home as Reed was thrown out at first. Lebanon, however, stranded Hartman at second.
“When we scored in the second and third, they could’ve been much bigger innings,” Lebanon coach Brian Kindell said. “We let some opportunities slip away, and their pitcher (Megan Brankamp) threw well down to the last pitch of the game.”
Brankamp also had a major role in the offense for West, driving in the first run in the third and scoring the winning run after a double in the bottom of the sixth.
West, which had left the bases loaded in the third, did not have a runner again until Allie Cummins drove a 2-1 pitch over the right-center fence for a leadoff home run in the sixth.
“I think we were waiting for the right person or right time for someone to go,” Cummins said. “I knew she would throw me something good because I was ahead in the count, but I thought I had popped it up.”
Hutchinson finished 2-for-3 for Lebanon, while Cummins and Brankamp each recorded a pair of hits for a West team that is glad to see the sectional behind them.
“It was good to finally get over that hump,” Cummins said. “We’ve been stuck on it awhile.”
Lebanon 011-000-0—2-7-1
Lakota West 001-002-x—3-8-1
WP — Megan Brankamp (10-5); LP — Taylor Lewis (5-4); HR — LW: Allie Cummins. Records: LE 18-11, LW 19-6
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