Streetsboro cruises to 15-0 D4 Sectional win over Trinity behind 11 K’s from Williams
STREETSBORO, OH- The #13 seed Streetsboro Rockets hosted an OHSAA State Softball Tournament opening round Division IV Sectional vs #27 seed Trinity on Thursday. After an up and down regular season, the Rockets were looking to start off the postseason on a high note. They rolled to a 15-0 win over the Trojans.
Payton Williams took the mound for the Rockets and began with a 1-2-3 first inning striking out a pair.
Olivia Knepper drew a walk to begin the bottom half for the Rockets. She would steal second base and advance to third on a passed ball before Ashley Denvir brought her home on a bloop single to right.
They would pick up five more runs after a succession of walks and wild pitches/passed balls before Knepper lined a single to center scoring a pair to round out the scoring in the first.
The Rockets took an 8-0 lead after one.
Williams would post a dominant second inning as she struck out the side to keep it an 8-0 lead heading to the bottom of the second.
Ella Simpson opened the bottom of the second with a single. Five consecutive walks would follow scoring three before Williams hit a sacrifice fly scoring the fourth run of the inning as Streetsboro took a 12-0 lead after two.
It was another dominant inning in the top of the third for Williams as she again struck out the side to make it 6 straight and 8 for the game.
The Rockets would go scoreless in the third still leading 12-0 after three.
Williams kept would get a ground ball out, fly ball out and her 9th strikeout in the fourth inning keeping it a 12-0 game.
Streetsboro would tack on three more in the bottom of the fourth. Amy Rein led off with a double. Mallorie Gierke would drive her home on a double to deep left for run number 13.
Aaliyauh Woody and Knepper would round out the scoring with RBI singles to push the Rockets lead to 15-0 after four.
Payton Williams carried a perfect game into the fifth having retired 12 straight through the first four innings. She would record her 10 strikeout for out number one. A ground ball out left her one out away from perfection. She went up two strikes on Sienna Wilkes before the Trojans pitcher ripped a single to left breaking up the perfect game and no-hitter. Williams would come back with a strikeout to end the game and clinch the 15-0 postseason win.
Olivia Knepper led the way offensively with 2 hits and 3 RBI. Mallorie Gierke & Payton Williams each had a pair of RBI. Williams was dominant on the mound allowing only the 1 hit in 5 innings while striking out 11. She threw 50 strikes out of 63 total pitches.
The Rockets now advance to play at #9 seed Norton. The game was moved to Monday (5/18) to accommodate Streetsboro graduation on 5/19.
