“Survive and advance” is what a lot of high school softball and baseball teams say during tournament time in Ohio.
No truer words could be said about this year’s Strasburg softball team -- a team of destiny.
The Tigers are ranked No. 3 in Ohio and are one win away from returning to the state tournament. They will face Danville today at noon in a Division IV regional final at Pickerington Central High School.
After a convincing run through the sectional tournament, it has been a battle ever since for Strasburg, which has won three straight tournament games by one run.
In the district semifinal against Fort Frye, the Tigers found themselves down to their last three outs, trailing 3-2 as they headed to the bottom of the seventh. But just as veteran coach Bud Weisgarber's teams have done so many times over the past three and half decades, they found a way to score a pair of runs and earn a 4-3 win.
In the district final, the Tigers faced a familiar foe in Tuscarawas Central Catholic. Strasburg won both meetings in the regular season and led the district final 2-0 through four innings, as it looked as if it was going to be all Tigers. But the Saints scratched and clawed for two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to tie the game at 3-3. But, Strasburg sophomore Ashley Downin singled home Zoey Thomas in the bottom of the sixth for the game-winning hit.
The win over Inter-Valley Conference rival Central Catholic, gave Strasburg its 29th overall district title and advanced the Tigers to face Portsmouth Clay in a regional semifinal.
The Tigers' third straight one-run victory took 15 innings. The Panthers had multiple chances to win in the extra eight innings played, but couldn’t find a way to score runs.
The biggest defensive play of the night came from Strasburg centerfielder Ava Ray, who fired a perfect one-bouncer to catcher Hannah Reifenschneider, who applied the tag for the final out of the bottom of the 14th to keep the game tied at 4-4.
Right on cue in the top of the 15th, Strasburg’s Emma Clark blasted a home run to center to give her team the lead and eventually the 5-4 victory.
The Tigers look to get back to the state tournament after failing to reach it last year. Strasburg lost to Convoy Crestview in the state final in 2016 on their last trip to state.
Danville ended the Tigers’ season last year winning 3-0 in a regional semifinal. The Blue Devils are coached by former Hiland mentor Jill Lyons. Danville reached the state final, losing 3-2 to Williamsburg.
Strasburg starting pitcher Zoey Thomas, who pitched all 15 innings on Wednesday, will get the start today.
Danville (18-7) won its regional semifinal 2-1 over Lucasville Valley. The Blue Devils gave up a run in the top of the first, but held Lucasville Valley scoreless the rest of the way. Danville held the Indians to just four hits on the day,
The Strasburg and Danville winner will play either Gibonsburg or Tinora in a state semifinal Friday at 12:30 p.m. at Akron Firestone Stadium.