Warriors softball team falls in state semifinal
Friday, June 2, 2023
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
Christina Kilkenny attempts to bunt for the Watkins Memorial softball team in a Division I state semifinal June 2 at Firestone Stadium in Akron. Photo: Jarrod Ulrey
Throughout his team’s third consecutive run to the Division I state tournament, Watkins Memorial softball coach Mike Jellison never worried about whether his players were putting in the necessary work.
That’s the legacy, as much as their 90-6 record over the last three seasons, that the Warriors’ six-member senior class will leave behind following a 2-1 loss to Whitehouse Anthony Wayne on Friday in a state semifinal at Firestone Stadium in Akron.
Watkins Memorial, which was the state runner-up in 2021 and a state semifinalist last year, is the first Central District team to make it to three consecutive state tournaments.
“Most kids go their entire high school career and never come close to this place,” Jellison said. “These are the kids that will have us in the weight room on Monday. They’ve just kind of set the culture. It’s crazy when the football coach at our school uses our program as the model because we have more kids in the weight room than a football team. If someone is not there, the phone call doesn’t come from me, it comes from (one of my seniors). That’s kind of the way they’ve done things. … They keep each other accountable.”
While the Warriors finished 28-2, the Generals improved to 28-3 and will play Youngstown Austintown-Fitch for the title at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Watkins Memorial looked ready to put together a similar performance to 2021 when it beat Anthony Wayne 11-5 in a state semifinal after junior catcher Jordyn Wycuff led off the game with a double. Senior center fielder Taylor Gerhardt bunted her to third and an error on the third baseman enabled Wycuff to score.
After starting pitcher Molly Conner walked junior second baseman Cortney Dobbs with two outs, she was replaced by senior Brooklyn Patchen.
Over the final 6 1/3 innings, Patchen walked three and gave up three hits but struck out six and didn’t allow a run.
“We rely on our pitching, so we brought our ace, Brooklyn Patchen, in and she took the game over and rocked it,” Wayne coach Ronald Myers said. “We’re playing for two days and we have four college-quality pitchers on our staff, and we’re going to use them all at any moment.”
In the top of the second, freshman designated player Allison Langwasser walked and senior third baseman Ava McKee attempted to bunt but reached when the throw to first went wide, moving her to second and Langwasser to third.
Langwasser, however, got picked off at third and Patchen struck out sophomore left fielder Kyliee Trouton to wiggle out of the threat.
Watkins Memorial junior Carsyn Cassady pitches during a Division I state semifinal June 2 at Firestone Stadium in Akron. Photo: Jarrod Ulrey
After Watkins Memorial junior pitcher Carsyn Cassady struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the second, Teya Marshall was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a single by Conner. A single by Abby Kennelly drove in Marshall to tie it.
Then to open the third, Trinity Nowicki slammed one over the left-field fence for the Generals’ other run.
“I think what happened was that we got behind 2-0 in the count and she was trying to throw a curve on the outside corner,” Jellison said. “When she gets ahead in the count, it’s much tougher to hit her.”
Watkins Memorial’s best remaining opportunity took place in the fourth when McKee reached on a two-out single to right field. Kilkenny then hit a grounder to the second baseman, who made a poor throw to first, which enabled McKee to move to third.
McKee, however, attempted to score on the play but was thrown out easily at the plate.
Anthony Wayne committed four errors, including one in the sixth when the Warriors had two base runners but couldn’t score.
Watkins Memorial lost to Massillon Perry 1-0 in the 2021 state final and to Holland Springfield 4-2 in a state semifinal last season under Mike Jellison, who has gone 189-60 in 10 seasons as coach.
Cassady struck out 10 and allowed four hits and three walks while throwing a complete game.
“Watkins softball means everything to all of us,” senior first baseman McKayla Jellison said. “We’re here every single day, working every day, and the goal is to get here every time. It feels amazing to know we’ve worked this hard and come this far. Yeah it sucks that we fell short, but getting here three years in a row shows our hard work is paying off.”