Softball: Lancaster, Hilliard Bradley boast strong pitching en route to regional
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Lancaster pitcher Reese Poston checks her wristband in the circle before delivering a pitch against Olentangy Liberty at Pickerington Central May 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Reese Poston often talks to herself in between pitches. It’s how the Lancaster senior prepares for what’s next.
The Toledo commit, who plays second base when she’s not in the circle, often comes through in the clutch.
So, when she connected on the first pitch of the at-bat and sent it over the wall in left center field in the fourth inning of the Golden Gales’ 2-0 win over Olentangy Liberty on May 18 Pickerington Central, the rest was academic.
Poston was amid a pitching masterpiece in leading second-seeded Lancaster to its third Division I district championship in four years.
“I’m personally a very emotional player,” said Poston, who held the 11th-seeded Patriots (16-7) hitless for 5 2/3 innings. She ended up tossing a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts with two walks on 80 pitches, including 55 strikes. “I talk to myself a lot. I give myself a lot of pep talks in between every pitch. I’m just like, ‘This is all you. You got it.’ Just hyping myself, remembering that my defense has my back. They’ve come up big in a few moments. I’ve been in a lot of these big situations. It’s not natural, but I’m used to having to calm myself down and really tune in.”
Poston has been a key part of this run the whole way, earning honorable mention all-state honors as a freshman and first-team all-state as a sophomore.
Her brother, Riley, played baseball at Lancaster before graduating in 2022.
“I just watched my brother wanting to play and be on the field,” Poston. “He’s taught me my competitiveness and to never give up. He’s always been on the field, so I just followed in his footsteps. Sydney Call (a 2021 graduate was) the one that got me into pitching. She was a pitcher back in the day and I just wanted to be in her shoes.”
Proving there’s no such thing as too much pitching, junior Ashlin Mowery is a standout for the Gales as well. Mowery, a Louisiana State commit, tossed a no-hitter in an 11-1, five-inning victory over 22nd-seeded Chillicothe in a district semifinal. The Cavaliers scored the run on a couple of errors in the first inning, marking the only run given up by Lancaster (27-3) in the postseason so far.
Hilliard Bradley pitcher Jillian Meszaros fields a ground ball during the Jaguars’ win against Tri-Valley at Pickerington Central May 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch
“Our relationship with each other has really grown,” Poston said. “She’s always behind my back and I’m always behind hers. It’s really nice knowing that if I get in trouble then she’s going to come in and she’s going to give it her all. She’s going to be there for me. When I’m pitching, she’s usually at first base. She’s always coming up to me and telling me, ‘Good pitch.’ or ‘Good job.’ throughout the game. We’re both here for the same thing – we’re both here to win. We better each other every single day … every single practice.”
Gales coach Allison Kinnaird played it close to the vest on how she chooses her pitcher for a given game.
“The plan is to have them both warm up and (then decide),” Kinnaird said. “That’s what we’re doing the rest of the way. It’s just kind of a game time thing. Both of them work really well off each other.”
Hilliard Bradley coach Kevin Moody also has two pitchers to choose from in senior Jillian Meszaros and freshman Mickey Moody.
“It’s a tough one,” coach Moody said. “Jillian’s had the lion’s share (of the starts) since the tournament began because she deserves it. She’s a senior. She’s doing great. We haven’t had to go to (a reliever) for a while now. Coming in in the sixth inning was tough (for Mickey), but I thought she handled it really well. She started off a little shaky but then she settled in and handled it real well.”
Meszaros, a Wooster commit, pitched five innings in the Jaguars’ 3-2 win over 10th-seeded Dresden Tri-Valley (22-7) and allowed two unearned runs on five hits before giving way to Mickey Moody.
Lancaster batter Ashlin Mowery hits one hard during the Gales’ district final win against Olentangy Liberty at Pickerington Central May 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Mickey, a freshman and the coach’s daughter, walked two of the first three batters she faced in the sixth inning with third-seeded Bradley (25-1) leading by one. But she got a strikeout and a ground out and tossed a one-two-three seventh to preserve the Jaguars’ second consecutive district championship and third overall.
“I was pretty nervous,” Mickey admitted. “But I knew I had my team behind me to back me up. They definitely calmed me down. Loghan (Cromer) talks to me a lot. She has confidence in me, which helps me out … knowing she has confidence in me.”
Mickey’s two-run single in the first inning gave Bradley the early lead. Senior Andrea Day opened the fifth inning with a double before classmate Taylor Hopkins broke the 2-2 tie with a sacrifice fly.
“Trusting your team is all you can do in those situations,” said Cromer, a senior catcher who had two bunt hits and a run. “What’s going to happen is going to happen. (Mickey) just needs to trust her defense when that happens. We know each other and she knows what I’m saying to her is not a lie. We’ve known each other since we were little, so she just understands what I’m telling her is the truth. I’m not (giving her bull) to make her feel better about it.”
The Jaguars face Watkins Memorial and Lancaster plays Teays Valley in regional semifinal matchups on May 22 at Big Walnut.
“(Meszaros’) changeup is the best pitch ever,” Cromer said. “She works high and low very well and then throws that changeup. It’s so slow (and) is the perfect pitch. I would strike out on it all day – it’s just amazing.”
Top-seeded Granville (27-3) and second-seeded Jonathan Alder (21-4) each won Division II district titles, 10th-seeded West Jefferson (12-11) and third-seeded Liberty Union (20-6) took home titles in Division III and third-seeded Mechanicsburg (18-4) won in Division IV at Central on May 18.
“Watkins has been to the state tournament the last three years,” coach Moody said. “We know what they have. Our four seniors have made this one of the most fun seasons ever. They’re intensity is high, but they also like to have fun and smile and joke with (their teammates). They lead by example – they don’t have to shout when it comes to their voices. But their actions are huge. They’ve made this a lot of fun.”
Hilliard Bradley catcher Loghan Cromer directs the defense during the Jaguars’ district final win against Tri-Valley at Pickerington Central May 18. Photo: Kevin Rouch