Elyria’s stunning finish leaves top-ranked Lebanon without a title

The last time Lebanon High School’s softball team was denied in the Division I state championship game, the end came on a walk-off home run in 2015.

That was gut-wrenching. Saturday was worse.

One out from their first state title, the top-ranked Warriors gave up two unearned runs on a wild game-ending play as Elyria pulled off a stunning 4-3 victory at Firestone Stadium.

Lebanon coach Brian Kindell had nothing good to say about the umpiring after the game, but he was proud to praise his players and their 30-4 campaign.

“I told them I loved them,” Kindell said. “I told them they deserved more from me today. I told them they deserved more from the people around them, and it just didn’t happen.

“One thing we’ve talked about all year is the outcome in life is never what happens to you. It’s how you respond to everything that is placed upon you. I know they’ll respond in a positive way in time. They represented Lebanon High School and the city of Lebanon in an extremely positive way. I’m proud of them.”

It was a crushing defeat for the Warriors, who haven’t been able to find a way to win a championship in four trips to state, and seniors Chloe Allen, Alex Gibson, Alexis Strother and Taylor Lewis.

Kindell said his players were too upset to speak to the media after the game.

Elyria (22-4) was down 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh and had runners on first (Macy Taylor) and second (April Howser) when Madison Cruzado slapped a two-out grounder to Lebanon shortstop Ashley West.

West, going to her left, bobbled the ball. She got it to Madison Hartman at second base, but the ball was bobbled there as well and Taylor was safe. With Howser sprinting toward the plate, Hartman made a throw over the head of catcher Molly Osborne and Howser scored.

Taylor kept coming as well and was eventually out at home, but third-base umpire Douglas Murphy called obstruction on Lebanon third baseman Gibson and gave Taylor home plate to end the game.

“I always tell my players I’ll leave it all out there for them. I guess that’s just what was running through my head,” Taylor said. “After I rounded third and there was obstruction, I was just thinking, ‘Score,’ and hope they call it. There was nothing else I could do after that.”

There was no question Taylor and Gibson made contact with each other. Taylor then got caught in a short rundown before getting tagged out by Lewis at the plate.

Kindell felt the obstruction call and the decision to give Taylor home plate were questionable because she was on her way back to third base during the rundown, but Murphy had his arm out to signal obstruction before the play reached that point.

“I thought clearly it looked like she was running back to third base in a pickle play, but they somehow said that was a close play at the plate and awarded her home,” Kindell said.

Said Elyria coach Ken Fenik, “I was coaching third, and she definitely tripped Macy. We teach our girls to cause chaos on the bases, and that’s what they did on that play. As soon as Macy got tripped, I saw (Murphy) put his arm out, and even then, she still kept going to home. Even there, you can’t block the plate unless you have the ball, so that could’ve been obstruction too. Plus earlier in the inning when (Howser) got shoved off (first).”

That play at first base was troubling to Kindell. Osborne’s throw picked off Howser, but she was allowed to remain at first when Strother was called for obstruction. Taylor then walked.

“(First-base umpire Van Parks) admitted to me she was out, but he said I’m calling obstruction,” Kindell said. “That was the worst call of the game right there. If he’s saying it was a shove off the base, it doesn’t matter because she was already tagged out. When you’re tagged out, you’re out.

“And the girl that walked … Molly said after one of those pitches, I believe it was the second-to-last pitch, that (home-plate umpire Mike Burwell) said, ‘Oh, I missed that one.’ Then I guess he said the same thing when my assistant went out there on a timeout.

“When you have your home-plate umpire openly admitting to a player and a coach that he missed balls and strikes in the bottom of the seventh … it’s just disappointing that we have people working the game that are not working as hard as the kids are.”

Lebanon ran into outs at third base and home plate on the same play after Hartman’s RBI single tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth. Madison DeGennaro was out at home on a play where Kindell felt Elyria catcher Maycee Godbolt should’ve been called for obstruction.

“She was clearly blocking the plate, and DeGennaro had to run around her,” Kindell said. “That was the biggest obstruction in the game.”

The Warriors’ Allen was 3-for-3 and made a sliding catch in left field for the second out in the seventh. DeGennaro had two hits, including a two-out RBI double in the top of the seventh to push Lebanon ahead 3-2.

DeGennaro came through after Kindell opted to have Allen put down a sacrifice bunt with her ultra-hot bat.

“It’s not an easy decision, but it was the best thing for the team, and (DeGennaro) was able to deliver,” Kindell said.

Allen was 6-for-8 in two state games and 10-for-15 since regional play began. She will play college ball at Lake Erie.

“A phenomenal year,” Kindell said. “She’s had one of the best offensive years in Lebanon High School history.”

Hartman and Grace Gressly added RBIs for the Warriors. Lewis took the loss with 3.1 innings of circle work in relief of Strother.

Elyria had five hits and did not notch an RBI — the Pioneers’ first two runs scored on wild pitches. Freshman Isabella St. Peter pitched an eight-hitter to get the win, while Howser was 3-for-4 with two runs.

It’s the third state championship for Elyria, adding to titles won in 2002 and 2009.

“That was one of the greatest games I’ve been a part of,” Fenik said. “I really felt like we could come back and win it in the bottom of the seventh, and those guys believed.”

With Lebanon’s defeat, Southwest Ohio has still never won a Division I softball crown. Hamilton (1985) and Fairmont East (1982) were Class AAA champions.

Lebanon 010-010-1—3-8-2

Elyria 100-100-2—4-5-0

WP — Isabella St. Peter (18-3); LP — Taylor Lewis (13-3). Records: L 30-4, E 22-4

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