L’view wins thriller, NWC softball title

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

It was a winner take-all game and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Lincolnview rallied from a 3-0 deficit by scoring three runs in the seventh inning, then the Lancers (19-3, 8-0 NWC) scored a run in the eighth to defeat Crestview 4-3 for an outright Northwest Conference championship, the program’s first since 2013.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Lincolnview head coach Brad Doidge said of winning the conference title. “That was one of the team’s goals and at the beginning of the year I said we had to get through Paulding and we had to get through Crestview and we were fortunate enough to get through both of them.”

Trailing 3-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, Makayla Jackman opened with a double to left field, then Addysen Stevens drove in Jackman with a single to center field. Two batters later Andi Webb singled, then Annie Mendenhall hit a single of her own that scored Stevens, making it 3-2. The tying run came with the next batter, Kendall Bollenbacher, who hit a sacrifice fly that scored Webb.

“I just told them we had them where we wanted them with the top and middle of our lineup,” Doidge said. We had our best players up in the seventh inning. We tend to be a late team and we do a lot of two out hitting and we just got some base hit strung together.”

In the top of the eighth inning, Lincolnview freshman Taylor Post fired three consecutive strikeouts, setting the stage for a quick bottom half of the inning. After Destiny Coil opened with a double, Winter Boroff bunted and reached on error that also allowed Coil to score.

Post pitched all eight innings and finished with seven strikeouts and allowed nine hits.

“For being a freshman, she’s perfect in the conference and 12-0, so hats off to her,” Doidge said of Post. “Just the thought of a freshman coming in, especially in that eighth inning, strike, strike, strike, then Destiny gets that base hit and maybe we surprised them a bit with Winter with the bunt.”

Two of Crestview’s runs came in the opening inning, with Breena Grace hitting a home run to center field that scored Lexi Dull. The Lady Knights (17-7, 7-1 NWC) added a run in the sixth when Raegan Hammons doubled and drove in Laci McCoy.

Kali Small had three of Crestview’s hits while Grace and McCoy each had a pair of hits. On the mound, Small allowed eight hits, including three by Bollenbacher, struck out five and walked one.

“Kali Small is a good pitcher,” Doidge said. “She’s a four-year starter and you have to beat the good ones to win the conference. I think we saw enough pitches and the girls worked hard enough and got pitches we liked and hit them.”

Both teams are back in action today, with Lincolnview hosting Antwerp and Crestview entertaining Lima Central Catholic.