'They put in the work.' Bethel-Tate softball captures 1st district title since 2014

HAMILTON, Ohio − Bethel-Tate head softball coach Chad Bohl strongly believes that his Tigers are a "team that pulls together."

That came to fruition on Thursday night, when Bethel-Tate rallied from a late one-run deficit to defeat Brookville, 4-1, at Hamilton High School for a Division III district championship. It's the program's first district title since 2014.

"They've worked hard," said Bohl, the Southern Buckeye Conference's National Division Co-Coach of the Year. "The girls we have, most of them play travel ball, they do a lot of stuff during the offseason. They put in the work, put in the time."

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Haley Johnson, the SBAAC-National Co-Player of the Year, added: "It being my senior year, it's just been a great season. Just being able to now say that we're district champs, it's beyond great."

Johnson, who picked up her 300th career varsity strikeout earlier this season, was stellar in the circle in picking up her 15th victory of the season. The All-Ohio senior twirled seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball, stranding five Brookville baserunners over the final three frames.

At the plate, Johnson is the SBAAC's triple-crown winner as the league's leader in batting average, homers and RBI. She extended her hitting streak to 13 games with a first-inning double.

"She (Johnson) has just been really driven this year," Bohl said. "She wanted to finish as strong as she can. Everything she's done this year is to push the team, push herself. She's her harshest critic. I think that leadership has helped push the other girls through."

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Since making a regional run in 2014 , Bethel-Tate suffered through five consecutive non-winning seasons, going 30-71 overall from 2015-2019. After the pandemic, this year's senior class arrived on the scene in 2021 and ushered in a new era for the program, combining for three sectional crowns, a combined 68-31 record and has now snapped a decade-long district drought.

"We got the district this year. Everything is icing now," Bohl said. "It's been one of the best classes to ever come through Bethel-Tate."

Before it could hoist the championship trophy, Bethel-Tate's offense had to overcome a slew of missed chances Thursday night. The Tigers had a runner thrown out at the plate in the first inning, stranded the bases loaded in the second and squandered a leadoff double in the third.

Brookville took a 1-0 lead in the third inning and Bethel-Tate finally found an answer in the fifth. Senior Emma Moorehead and sophomore Allyson Thompson singled and junior Kenzie Gillen walked to load the bases with two outs. Freshman Addi Redmond delivered with a two-run single up the middle to put Bethel-Tate ahead for good.

Redmond went 4-for-4 on Thursday and provided insurance with a two-out RBI triple to plate Johnson in the seventh. Redmond would score one pitch later on Addysyn Bohl's RBI single to make it 4-1.

Bethel-Tate's 1-5 hitters combined to reach base 11 times and seven players recorded a hit.

"We seem to start a little slow, then we get going. We knew we'd get there if we could hold them down. Once we get going, we can put some runs on them. We were worried but we were not scared." Bohl said. "Everybody is a contributor, whether it's defensively or offensively. That really pushed us through."

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When Bethel-Tate outlined its goals for the 2024 season, it was only to make it past the district semifinals, where the Tigers have fallen in close games the previous three seasons. Bethel-Tate did that with a win over Clermont Northeastern Monday, adding to its trophy case on Thursday and advancing to the regional tournament playing with house money.

"We've just been telling ourselves that each game is a bonus and to just take it one at a time," Johnson said.

Bethel-Tate will look to play spoiler in the Division III regional semifinals against Miami East on Wednesday, May 22, at Centerville High School. Miami East reached the state Final Four in 2022 before falling in the regional championship last spring. The Vikings took out Williamsburg, 14-0, in the district finals Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'They put in the work.' Bethel-Tate softball captures 1st district title since 2014