By: Lindsey Houck

The Stow-Munroe Falls softball team’s season came to a close after losing to Barberton 8-5 in a Division I district semifinal game May 21 at the Barberton Sports Complex.

With the win, the Lady Magics improved to 19-9 and reached their first district title game in school history. The Lady Bulldogs finished 24-6.

At one point, Stow had a 5-1 lead, but that advantage quickly ended in the sixth and seventh innings. Barberton scored seven runs in the final two innings. Alyssa Ingram had seven strikeouts in the first four innings, but things changed after the Lady Bulldogs built a 5-1 lead in the fifth.

In the sixth inning, Barberton scored four runs to tie the game. After a walk, and then a double by Lady Magics’ third baseman Kayla Rorrer, second baseman Makayla Okolish reached on an error.

Barberton then got its biggest hit of the game from its number eight hitter after having a bomb hit to the outfield player before. Barberton’s shortstop blasted a three-run homer over the fence in left field to tie the game.

Barberton then added a solo home run later in the inning for the final run. Ingram, despite pitching with the hip injury, went all seven innings. She allowed 13 hits and finished with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Stow tied the game again in the bottom of the third.

Ingram got the first of her two doubles and senior center fielder Erin Kolke added a run-scoring single. Sophomore Lindsey Houck, the courtesy runner for Ingram, scored on Kolke’s hit.

The Lady Bulldogs made the game 5-1 off Kaisk with four runs in the fifth.

Ingram led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by freshman shortstop Brittany Hoopingarner. Kolke followed with a run-scoring infield single and junior second baseman Bekah Jones added a single. Then, senior first baseman Chrissie Vaughan reached on an infield error and junior catcher Landry Slider drew a walk which set up the biggest blow of the inning. Left fielder Kayla Esterle ripped a two-run single to make it 5-1.

Barberton’s pitcher got the win in the circle as she scattered nine hits in seven innings. She walked two batters and struck out one. Ingram finished with three hits and Slider reached base three times.

Stow lost the game 8-5, but finished the season with their heads up.