The Vikings, 23-7 and ranked ninth in the Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association state poll, couldn’t solve the riddle that was Clermont Northeastern pitcher Emily Anderson and were shut out, 6-0, in a Division III regional semifinal Thursday at Wright State University.
Anderson, a senior, rendered Miami East’s bats useless with her mixed-bag locations and speeds, throwing a one-hit shutout while walking five and striking out five.
The Vikings were out-hit, 11-1 and coughed up an uncharacteristic four errors.
“We were focused,” said Lady Rockets coach Bill Goldfuss, whose third-ranked team (22-5) faces 10th-ranked Columbus Bishop Ready (14-15) in a noon final on Saturday.
“We’ve worked hard to get back to this point. We’ve been battle-tested. … We put the ball in play today, and when you put the ball in play, (good) things happen.”
Brookhart broke up Anderson’s no hitter with a one-out, fourth-inning single. The Vikings later loaded the bases with two outs in that frame (buoyed by a base on balls and an error), but walked away empty-handed when Anderson fanned Miami East catcher Sarah O’Neal.
“That was one of those moments where it’s just crunch time — it was tense,” Anderson said of her bases-loaded escape. “I wasn’t too concerned, though, because we were playing good defense.”
Vikings hurler Paige Kiesewetter allowed eight hits and six runs (four of them earned) in 3.2 innings, walking two and striking out three.
Sam Denlinger came on in relief during Clermont’s three-run fourth and put a stop to the bleeding, allowing no runs and three hits over the final 3.1 frames.
But the damage had been done. The Lady Rockets plated a run in each of the first two frames, fueled by only two hits, and never looked back.
“We just couldn’t make any breaks for ourselves,” said Vikings coach Brian Kadel. “We couldn’t seem to get any momentum or any breaks, and that happens in tournament sometimes.”
Despite a forgettable day filled with missed opportunities, Brookhart and five other senior starters still graduate with a rare distinction of sorts — the winningest class in Miami East softball history.
“They leave with two district titles, a district runner-up, and a handful of league championships mixed in,” Kadel said. “They’ve had a great career and a great season this year.”
That reality, though, was seemingly lost on Brookhart, who could no longer contain her tears.
“Our team’s really close. We’re like family,” she said. “I know the next two years they’ll carry on what we’ve started. I wouldn’t trade my last year with these girls and these coaches for anything.”
Win … or lose.
About the Author