LIBERTY TWP. — A hyped Ella Bauman sprinted off the field after the Lakota East High School softball team halted a Colerain bases-loaded rally in the fourth inning.
The senior second baseman wasn’t ready for the Thunderhawks’ season to end.
Bauman went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, senior pitcher Kaitlyn Haiber tossed a three-hitter and Lakota East went on to beat Colerain 9-2 in a Division I tournament opener on Monday.
“Our team had our back the whole time,” Bauman said. “We were ready to make plays. Everyone was up. You didn’t even have to say anything. I could barely hear myself think (in the dugout). Everyone was pumped. It was one of the best games we’ve had.”
Lakota East (10-16), which completed a three-game sweep of Colerain, advances to play at Milford on Wednesday.
“We bring a lot of fun,” Haiber said. “We definitely are underestimated, but I think we do cool things that nobody is expecting.”
Sophomore Amber Munoz went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored for the Thunderhawks, who moved out to a 3-0 lead after three innings. Junior Halina Schulte had three hits.
Lakota East tallied three runs in the fourth inning, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to close out the scoring.
“It’s hard to beat a team three times,” Lakota East coach Kelley Haiber said. “I thought we played a little bit of defense. We did all right there with a couple timely hits — the stuff that you want.”
Colerain, which left the bases full in a two-run fourth inning, finished the season 4-19.
SETON 5, ROSS 2
DELHI TWP. — Seton scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to grab the early momentum over Ross on Monday in a Division I postseason opener at Mount St. Joseph University.
Avery Roever hit an inside-the-park homer to give the Saints a 5-0 lead in the third. Aurora Wallace and Alayna Crouch each recorded RBI base hits in the sixth inning for the Rams.
Ross (14-10) graduates seniors Elena Boyle, Emily Brunner, Adisyn Johnson and Crouch. Seton travels to West Clermont on Wednesday.
TALAWANDA 3, LITTLE MIAMI 2
OXFORD — Shelby Knott knocked in Sydnee Berryman for the game-deciding run in the sixth inning, and Talawanda beat Little Miami on Monday to advance in Division I postseason play.
McKenna Weekley pitched 4.2 innings for the Brave before Kylie Cobb came in for 1.3 innings of relief to close it out. Talawanda (19-9) plays at Hamilton in the second round on Wednesday.
LEBANON 24, WEST CARROLLTON 0
LEBANON — Top-seeded Lebanon scored 10 runs in the first inning, seven in the second and seven in the third against West Carrollton in a Division I tournament opener on Monday.
Lebanon (23-3), which has won 19 in a row, hosts Stebbins on Wednesday.
MIDDLETOWN 6, SIDNEY 5
SIDNEY — Middletown captured its first postseason victory since 2019 on Monday.
Caroline VonHolle pitched a complete game and went 4-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and a triple for the Middies. Lilly Becraft went 3-for-4.
Middletown (9-16) visits Miamisburg in the second round on Wednesday.
BRACKETS: https://www.ohsaa.org/Southwest-Sports-Tournaments/Softball
