Aaron Petchal ONE LAST HUDDLE — Big Red softball coach April Minniefield addresses her team after Wednesday's tournament game.

STEUBENVILLE — The Steubenville softball team got off to a fast start against Tri-Valley, however, the Scotties mounted a comeback and pulled away for the victory.

Big Red — the No. 2 seed – led by two runs going into the top of the third inning, however, third-seeded Tri-Valley tallied six runs in the next two innings before tacking on a pair of insurance runs in the seventh en route to a 9-5 victory in an Ohio Division III East/Southeast 2 District Semifinal on an overcast Wednesday evening up at the Crimson Complex.

“We got off to a good start, but we couldn’t keep it going,” first-year Big Red (13-8) head coach April Minniefield said. “We kind of fell flat.”

With the win, Tri-Valley (15-11) will play in the district final at 4 p.m. Thursday down at Ohio University in Athens.

The visitors plated three runs in the third and three more in the fourth to turn a two-run deficit into a 7-3 lead. The hosts countered with two runs in the fourth, but Big Red was unable to get any closer as the visitors collected two more runs in the last inning to put the game out of reach.

The Scotties outhit the locals, 12-9, and the visitors from Muskingum County tallied three extra-base hits while the home team finished with one. Five girls recorded two hits in the win for Tri-Valley while three delivered two RBI.

“They can hit the ball,” Minniefield said. “They are hitting team. We knew they were a hitting team. They can really hit the ball. The coaching staff knew they could hit the ball. We watched film and videos. We knew they could hit.”

Isabella Cadille was saddled with the loss for Big Red. She struck out three while walking one.

Megan Kozusko picked up the win for the Scotties. She struck out a pair while also walking one.

The Scotties struck first in the first. Gerran Mathews singled to left to start the game, and the shortstop took second on an error on the play. Mathews advanced to third on a flyout before scoring on a triple to right by Ally Peterson to plate the first run of the game to make the score, 1-0. Peterson ended up being stranded there thanks to a lineout and a strikeout.

Big Red answered right back in the home half of the inning. Sophia Zorne reached on an error to start the inning, and she scored on a triple to left by Sagan Smarrella to knot the score at 1. Smarrella ended up scoring on a groundout by Emily Tuttle to break the tie giving the Red-and-Black a 2-1 lead. Riley Zorne singled to keep the inning alive, however, a flyout brought it to a close.

The girls from Jefferson County extended their advantage in the second thanks to some two-out lightning. Kaliyah Chamberlain singled to center with two outs, and she ended up on third on a single by Sophia Zorne to put runners on the corners. Then, Smarrella singled to left scoring Chamberlain to make it a 3-1 ballgame. Sadie Edwards stepped up the plate, and the University Of Akron commit was intentionally walked to load the bases, however, Kozuscko was able to escape the inning without any more damage being done thanks to a flyout to Matthews.

Trailing by two runs, the Scotties bats’ came alive as the girls in black broke through for three runs in the third to regain the lead. Alivia Reffitt started things off with a single, and Peterson followed with one of her own to put two runners on base. Then, Ava Neal singled to right scoring Reffit to cut Tri-Valley’s deficit down to 3-2. Both baserunners moved up on a groundout, and Peterson and Reffitt crossed the plate thanks to a single to center by Gabby Prati, who had two singles on the day, to put the Scotties out in front, 4-3.

Tri-Valley increased their advantage in the fourth as it scored three more runs to build a 7-3 lead. Kozusko reached on an infield single to start the inning before she was replaced on the bases by courtesy runner Keah Jones. Jones attempted to steal second, however, the throw was offline and the ball rolled out into centerfield allowing Jones to run all the way around the bases and score to put her team up 5-3.

Matthews drew a walk, stole second and moved up to third on Reffitt’s second single. Matthews then scored on a fielder’s choice making it, 6-3, and Reffitt, who advanced to third on the fielder’s choice, scored on a groundout by Neal giving Tri-Valley a four-run advantage. Cadille got out of the innings thanks to another groundout, but the damage had been done.

Big Red countered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to stay within striking distance. Chamberlain and Sophia Zorne

contributed back-to-back singles with one out, and Smarrella was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Edwards stepped to the plate with a chance to tie the score with one of her patented home runs, however, the senior standout singled to score Chamberlain to pull her team within 7-4. The bases were still loaded, however, Sophia Zorne was throw out at the plate on fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning. Smarrella then scored on a passed ball to pull Steubenville to within 7-5 as Edwards advanced to third on Tuttle moved up to second. Big Red still had a chance to score more runs in the inning, however a lineout to Larsyn Holdsworth in right ended the inning.

Neither team scored in the next two innings before the Scotties plated a pair of runs in the seventh to regain a four-lead lead. Neal doubled to start the inning before being replaced on the bases by pinch runner Joelle Moreland. Then, catcher Camdyn Tyson tripled to right scoring Moreland making the score, 8-5. Cameron Morrison, who came in to run for Tyson, scored when Prati reached on an error to make it, 9-5. Prati took second on the play, however, Cadile retired the next three batters to prevent Tri-Valley from doing anymore damage.

“It’s not that we were bad defensively, but we did not go get the ball,” Minniefield said. “We let the ball fall in front of us, and then we would go get it.”

Big Red needed a big inning in their half of the seventh to stay alive. Edwards singled with one out to give them a baserunner, however, she was doubled off at first after Tuttle lined out to third. With two outs and no one on, Kozusko induced a groundout to end the game.

The game was the final one for Big Red’s six seniors — Joslynn Waugh, Sophia Zorne, Addison Meyer, Smarrella, Edwards and Tuttle.

“Those girls mean a lot to me,” Minniefield said. “They are a great group of girls. They were a great group to have in my first year as head coach.”

The seniors will definitely be missed, but the team does return a good amount of talent going into next season.

“It is tough to turn the page,” Minniefield said. “It happens. We are going to get to work and try to come out on top next year.”

Tri-Valley 9, Big Red 5

Tri-Valley 103 300 2 – 9 12 1

Big Red 210 200 0 – 5 9 4

TRI-VALLEY (15-11): Kozusko WP (2K, 1BB) and Tyson. Matthews S; Reffitt 2S; Peterson S, T, 2RBI; Neal S, D, 2RBI; Tyson T, RBI; Prati 2S, 2RBI; Kozusko 2S.

BIG RED (13-8): Cadille LP (3K, 1BB) and Smarrella. S. Zorne 2S; Smarrella S, T, 2RBI; Edwards 2S, RBI; Tuttle RBI; R. Zorne S; Chamberlain 2S.