Galion senior Mady Tinch takes a big cut at a pitch on May 9 against Western Reserve in a sectional semifinal game.
Don Tudor | Aim Media Midwest
Galion junior Cece Campbell tags a Roughriders runner out at the plate.
Don Tudor | Aim Media Midwest
GALION — A Galion senior softball player stepped up at the exact time her team needed her to in a Division III Northwest District sectional game against Western Reserve on May 9.
Mady Tinch cleared the bases with a double in the bottom of the sixth inning to help her team overcome the Roughriders, 6-4. CeCe Campbell was intentionally walked by Western Reserve (3-15-1) to load the bases with two outs, Tinch took care of the rest from there.
Perhaps the biggest hit of Tinch’s career came at a moment when the Roughriders believed she would be the easier out than Campbell, who is hitting .511 at the plate. A quick 1-2-3 inning pitched by freshman Maddie Beck in the top of the seventh put the win in writing for Galion.
Beck struck out nine batters and allowed four earned runs over seven innings of work while picking up the win. It was Western Reserve who found home plate first when Sydnie Prince brought in a pair of runs with a double in the top of the third inning.
Galion answered in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs. Ava Ball scored on an error that allowed Kaitlyn McKee to reach base. McKee went on to score at home plate with a head-first slide after a wild pitch to knot it at two a piece.
It was a pitching duel until the top of the sixth inning when the Roughriders found some momentum. Lilliana Jarrett singled to right field and brought in a run, and it would have been two if it was not for the quick relay to Campbell, who tagged Maylee Wetzel out at the plate.
Later in the sixth, Parker Corbin singled for Western Reserve and Jarrett was able to score on the throw. Beck struck out Brianna Reep to get out of the inning.
Galion got their sixth-inning heroics started with a single by Bianca White, then Ball doubled to bring across White. Beck reached on an error for the Lady Tigers, then McKee was safe on a fielder’s choice.
Then came the choice that may haunt the Roughriders. Campbell was walked, then Tinch hit a double to the fence to clear the bases. Tinch finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate with three runs batted in.
Kortnie Ganshorn had a hit for Galion, and McKee scored two total runs. Overall, the Lady Tigers played sound defense with just one error. Western Reserve committed a total of four errors.
Galion’s season ended in a sectional final matchup with Upper Sandusky. The Lady Rams defeated Galion on Friday, 8-5.
