SETTING THE SCENE: The second-seeded Milford High School softball team will play for its second straight OHSAA Sectional Championship when the Eagles battle No. 3 Oak Hills on Monday (May 16). The contest will take place at Sycamore High School with a 5 p.m. first pitch on tap. The Eagles enter the match-up with a 21-3 record after shutting out Colerain by a 9-0 score in their tournament opener. Oak Hills is 19-7 overall and coming off a 10-0 win over Northwest in its first tournament game.
A LOOK AT THE OPPONENT: A look at Milford’s next OHSAA Tournament opponent:
-
Monday, May 16 vs. Oak Hills, 5:00 p.m. (at Sycamore HS)
- 2016 Record: 19-7, 13-5 GMC (5th Division I area coaches’ final poll)
- Top Hitter: Senior Taylor Wilp (.537/18 XBH/36 RBI/8 SB)
- Top Pitcher: Senior Kaleigh McCarthy (0.88 ERA/10-0 record)
- Last Meeting: 2014 (OHSAA Tournament); Milford 3, Oak Hills 2
A LOOK BACK: May 12 vs. Colerain: Juniors Katelyn Rheude and Kelsey Seitz each had monster days at the plate, backing a three-hit shutout by classmate Valerie Thompson as the Eagles defeated Colerain by a 9-0 score in the second round of the OHSAA Tournament on May 12. Rheude and Seitz combined for seven runs, seven hits (six for extra bases) and four RBI in the victory. In the circle, Thompson fanned six in her 10th shutout and 18th win of the year.
Rheude finished the day with three doubles and scored three runs, while Seitz had a double and two triples among her four hits. She also scored four times and drove in three. Senior Hannah White went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI.
Milford went right to work in the first, plating two on a Seitz RBI triple and a run-scoring double by White. Rheude put the Eagles up 3-0 with a second inning sacrifice fly, while three Colerain errors led to Milford’s fourth run in the third inning. Seitz drove in a run and scored another among Milford’s three fourth inning runs, then doubled and scored in the sixth to complete the day’s scoring.
May 14 vs. Central Crossing: Kelsey Seitz broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning with an RBI triple and then raced home on a Hannah White squeeze bunt to lead Milford to a 2-1 win over Grove City Central Crossing on May 14. Valerie Thompson earned victory number 18 on the season, yielding just four hits and one run.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders through 23 games:
Batting Average: Kelsey Seitz (.608), Katelyn Reynolds (.500), Kelly Noll (.464)
Slugging Percentage: Kelsey Seitz (.922), Katelyn Reynolds (.730), Katelyn Rheude (.648)
On Base Percentage: Kelsey Seitz (.667), Katelyn Reynolds (.568), Kelly Noll (.542)
Runs Scored: Katelyn Reynolds (33), Kelly Noll (31), Katelyn Rheude (29)
Hits: Katelyn Reynolds (37), Kelly Noll (32), Kelsey Seitz (21)
RBI: Kelsey Seitz (27), Katelyn Reynolds/Katelyn Rheude (23)
Doubles: Katelyn Reynolds (10), Katelyn Rheude/Kelsey Seitz (8)
Triples: Kelsey Seitz (4), Katelyn Rheude (3), Katelyn Reynolds (2)
Home Runs: Katelyn Rheude/Katelyn Reynolds/Hannah White (1)
Walks: Katelyn Reynolds/Hannah White (12), Kelly Noll (11)
Stolen Bases: Kelly Noll (11), Kelsey Seitz (8), Katelyn Reynolds (6)
Wins: Valerie Thompson (18), Reilly Edwards (2)
Saves: None
ERA: Valerie Thompson (0.96), Reilly Edwards (3.09)
Innings: Valerie Thompson (131.2), Reilly Edwards (11.1)
Opponents Batting Average: Valerie Thompson (.157), Reilly Edwards (.179)
Strikeouts: Valerie Thompson (131), Reilly Edwards (11)
INSIDE THE ECC: Milford wrapped up its third consecutive Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championship, finishing 14-0 and three games ahead of a second place tie between Kings and Turpin. Loveland finished fourth at 7-7.
The schedule for ECC teams still alive in the tournament includes: No. 2 Milford vs. No. 3 Oak Hills (May 16, 5:00 p.m. at Sycamore), No. 8 Kings vs. No. 9 Turpin (May 16, 5:00 p.m. at Hamilton).
POLL WATCH: Milford earned the No. 3 position in the final Cincinnati Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll for this season, released on May 2. The Eagles also received one first place vote and finished behind champion Mason (13 No. 1 votes) and Lakota East (one vote). Lebanon and Oak Hills (one vote) round out the top-five. The ECC was also represented by Kings in 10th and Walnut Hills and Turpin in the others receiving votes category. The final coaches’ poll can be viewed at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.
A HISTORIC CHAMPIONSHIP: With its victory over Kings on May 2, the Eagles wrapped up their third consecutive Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championship in just the fourth year of the league’s existence. Three days later, Milford made ECC history once again with another win against Kings as they closed out the first-ever undefeated record in league play, finishing an unscathed 14-0.