Annabelle Geiser went 3-for-3 with two runs, Alisha Fox owned the pitcher’s circle and Mason captured a Division I district championship with its 10-1 victory over Springboro at Lebanon.
“The main thing is our team chemistry,” said Geiser, who is batting an astounding .688 this season. “We’ve always had a really good team chemistry, and this year, it’s just flourished. I love each and every one of these girls like they’re my sisters, and we play for each other. I think that’s the main difference.”
The state’s third-ranked Comets are playing for their leader, too.
Liann Muff, Mason’s softball coach for the last 15 years, announced in March that she’s retiring at the end of this season.
The Comets have won five Greater Miami Conference titles, and now, a 12th district championship under Muff’s leadership. Muff directed Mason to two state semifinal appearances in 2013 and 2016.
But the job isn’t done yet in 2025.
“We have seven seniors and three coaching staff retiring, so we’re trying to put all of our all into this season,” Geiser said. “And I know it’s our last one, so just about every one of us is playing like it is — because it is. We’re just very proud of everything that we’ve done.”
The Comets (26-3) reeled off 21 wins in a row at one point during the regular season and have won 23 of their last 24.
“This season itself has been so special,” Muff said. “Having alumni around watching this team. I’m just the luckiest coach to have this group. They are so encouraging of each other. They are so supportive of one another.
“I tell people that they are fun — and funny,” Muff added. “They know when to be serious. They play so hard. They’re girls-girls that have each other’s backs.
“I’m just enjoying being here with them, and I can’t ask for anything more — except that they have higher goals.”
Mason will face Centerville in a regional semifinal at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, at a site to be determined.
“We were very confident going into this game, but we were also going to take them as any other opponent,” Geiser said of Springboro. “We knew that they were stronger, and they were going to keep us on our toes. So I’m very glad that we were able to stay with our composure the entire game.”
The Comets tallied five runs in the second, highlighted by McBrayer’s double that brought three across the plate.
Delaney Radtke’s two-RBI single scored Brooke Henson and Alea Hensley to give Mason a 7-0 lead in the fourth.
Bella Miller doubled to left, which brought home Kylene Seibel to put Springboro on the board in the bottom of the fifth.
Morgan McBrayer hit one sharply up the middle, and the ball ricocheted off Springboro pitcher Katie Jonas and went into the outfield. That allowed Hensley to score. Then Halle Martin had a two-RBI single that made it 10-1 in the top of the sixth.
“This offense has had that ability all year long,” Muff said. “When our top two get on, and our swingers come up and drive them in, the sky’s the limit. They executed today — their gameplan, being choosy at the plate, hitting the balls that were over. That’s the result.
“All year, we stressed fundamental defense. They make the easy plays, and then they make the hard plays, too.”
Geiser, Addie McBrayer, Martin, Avery Clayton, Hensley and Morgan McBrayer each had multi-hit performances at the plate for Mason. Fox pitched a complete game, striking out 10 with only one walk.
Miller and Davis had two hits apiece for the Panthers.
“I was just over there telling the kids that the love they have for each other, it’s just been amazing to be around them,” said Springboro coach Rodney Coffee, who finished his first season as head coach after spending three years prior as an assistant.
“They’ve done everything that I’ve asked of them. They work as hard as anybody. I really think this is a true example of kids playing for each other and loving each other. They took that to the field, and that’s what produced our success.”
The Panthers (20-8) capped their season by winning eight of their last 10. They finished second in the Greater Western Ohio Conference behind Northmont.
“We liked our matchup,” Coffee said of Mason. “We had played better teams better all year. So we were kind of excited about that.
“Today, not our best day. But man, Mason is good. They’ve got a lot of lefties, and they can play small ball well. We just didn’t have the better day.”
Springboro graduates Venessa Hornfeck, Bri Schul, Leah Bostick, Kinley Johnson, Katie Jonas, Leila Kim, Ava Busi and Sam Turner.
Coffee said he’s excited about who he has coming back for next season.
“We had a lot of underclassmen produce this year,” the coach said. “We’re really excited about the direction of the program.”
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