PICKERINGTON Ranked No. 3 in Ohio, the 2018 Strasburg High School softball team has been dubbed a "Team of Destiny."
To some, that term can be perplexing. After all, Strasburg has made a state record 15 appearances in the state tournament. The Tigers also have won 30 Sectional, 28 District and 15 Regional titles before Saturday's game. Strasburg also has a state record of 11 straight league titles from 2004-2014 in the Inter-Valley Conference.
How can a program so rich in tradition ever spotlight one season's group to be called a team of destiny?
Let's consider the reasons: The Tigers' head coach Bud Weisgarber had to overcome a multitude of serious health issues, and didn’t really get acclimated to this team until several weeks into the season; the inclement weather they endured, causing the Tigers to conduct most practices inside a gymnasium instead of on a ball field; the untimely offseason passing of assistant coach Rick Clark, and facing a Danville team that eliminated the Tigers 3-0 in the previous season in the regional semifinals.
The 11-5 victory over Danville that the Orange and Black enjoyed Saturday afternoon in the Division IV regional final helped reinforce this edition of Tiger softball as a team of destiny. The win moves them to 22-5 on the season.
Strasburg will play Defiance Tinora in the state semifinals Friday at 12:30 p.m. at Firestone Stadium in Akron.
“The first part of the season I was getting acclimated to being crippled up, if you will, and the kids had to get used to me, so it took us a few weeks to really get started,” Weisgarber said. “But once we got started, boy, these girls don’t quit.”
Zoey Thomas pitched an impressive complete game Saturday -- on the heels of pitching 15 innings in the Tigers 5-4 victory Wednesday over Portsmouth Clay, also at Pickerington Central High School. “I just took it easy, put some IcyHot on it and hoped for the best,” Thomas said when asked how she was able to handle the extra innings.
“I’m just over the top happy right now,” Thomas added jubilantly.
Strasburg first scored in the top of the second inning. Ava Ray singled, then quickly stole second. Emma Clark walked, and they both stole a base to put runners on second and third with two outs. Hannah Reifenschneider drove them in to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
“We got several timely hits today," Weisgarber said. "We had been struggling getting those, especially with two outs. I knew the girls were due.”
Danville had its first threat in the home half of the second, getting runners on second and third, but Thomas got a crucial strikeout to end the inning. Strasburg maintained its 2-0 lead.
Brynn Coles led off the third inning for the Tigers with a single, and Emily Rieger reached on an error. Another double-steal put runners on second and third. A passed ball scored the Orange and Black's third run, and an RBI sacrifice ground-out by Ray scored the Tigers fourth run, and they weren’t done.
After three straight singles, Emalee Nave smacked a two-run double to put the Tigers up 7-0. Starsburg added another run to take an 8-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning.
Danville scored four times to cut the lead to 8-4, but got no closer.
Strasburg threatened in the fifth, but neither team scored until the game’s final inning.
With a comfortable, four-run lead, Emma Clark led off the seventh with a towering blast to right-center to push the lead to 9-4. Strasburg added two more runs to build an 11-4 lead that was the final after Thomas quickly disposed of the Blue Devil hitters.
After the game and ensuing celebration for the state-qualifying victory, there was also plenty of appreciation and happiness for coach Weisgarber, as nearly every parent came into the dugout to shake his hand before greeting their own children.
“This team has meant so much to him, and he means so much to the girls, and I truly believe all the former players coming back, and community support helped him fight, helped him survive and get to experience all this,” said Tiger athletic director Gary Spinell.