Two Ashland County softball teams remain in New London and Hillsdale, with both playing in district finals on Thursday.
Here is a quick preview of both teams' matchups:
Division IV District Final in Galion
No. 1 seed Monroeville (20-6, 12-2) vs No. 2 seed New London (17-6, 9-5): Firelands Conference foes New London and Monroeville will meet for the third time this season on Thursday. Both teams split their two meetings, with New London winning the first contest at home 5-2 on May 6 and Monroeville taking the second game 5-2 at their place on May 7.
Both teams have been in top form throughout the district tournament, as New London has outscored its two opponents 15-0, while Monroeville has outscored its opposition 25-3. New London's No. 1 starter Emilee Rowland pitched both outings against Monroeville, picking up the win (11 strikeouts, one earned run, seven hits, zero walks) in Game 1, and took the loss (seven strikeouts, three earned runs, nine hits, one walk) in Game 2.
Rowland (17-5 record, 1.55 ERA) will be on the mound again, looking to get a second win against Monroeville this season.
The Eagles will likely lean on one or possibly both of their two top starters in Emily Scheid (9-3 record, 1.97 ERA) and Veanna Helmstetter (10-3 record, 1.23 ERA) against the Wildcats. How they match up against the 1-2-3-4 part of New London's lineup that features Emilee, Madison Rowland, Raeann Mitchell and Gracie Thomas, who all are on fire with their bats at the moment, could be a deciding factor.
Either way, a well-played game should be in store with a district title on the line.
"We split with them," said New London's Gracie Thomas, after the Wildcats victory over South Central in the district semifinal on Tuesday. "I think it will be a very good tiebreaker."
"I definitely want to beat Monroeville," Emilee Rowland said. "We beat them once. Both Monroeville and us will be ready to play."
Division III District Final in Wellington
No. 2 seed Hillsdale (22-3, 14-0) vs No. 6 seed Tuslaw (16-8, 8-4): Hillsdale is currently on a 10-game winning streak, and the Falcons should have plenty of confidence heading into the district final after topping a similar perennial power in Keystone in the district semifinals.
Tuslaw is on quite the run in the district tournament, as the Mustangs went on the road to defeat No. 4 seed Loudonville (5-3 win) in a sectional final and knocked off No. 3 seed Manchester Akron (4-3 win) in the district semifinal. The Mustangs will be the lower seed again versus Hillsdale but based off how things have been going, that could work into their advantage playing the underdog role.
The Falcons will likely look to either Keira Filius or Kennedy Fickes to start Thursday. Tuslaw cleanup hitter and catcher Kylie Johnson will be someone to look out for in the Mustangs lineup. If Hillsdale can get off to another good start and put the pressure on Tuslaw and force them to play from behind, as they did against Keystone, the Falcons will be in sound position to win another district title.
jsimpson@gannett.com
Twitter/X:@JamesSimpsonII
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