JOHNSTOWN — When Mary Snider fielded a ground ball at second base and tagged the oncoming Johnstown runner Friday, the Newark Catholic softball team's run to an outright Licking County League-Cardinal Division championship was complete.
Snider, a senior, did not expect to play a big role, as she simply wanted to be a part of it. Snider came off the bench to hit one of four home runs as the Green Wave (16-8, 10-5) rolled to a 15-2 victory at Johnstown (6-20, 3-12).
"It's just been really nice," said Snider, who previously homered in Wednesday's 11-9 loss to Granville. "I love the energy everyone brings, and everyone just really supports each other no matter what. I honestly don't really know. I started off the season not hitting very good, so the girls were messing around like, 'Where has this been the whole season?' "
The Green Wave emphatically secured the program's first league championship since 2006. Seniors Kylie Gibson and Avery Nagel and sophomore Veronica Bailey also homered, and Nagel pitched four one-hit innings.
The run to the top has featured five seniors, including four who have been key contributors since NC's run to the Division IV state tournament in 2021. Snider has been the latest addition.
"Mary has been absolutely smoking the ball," first-year NC coach Logan DePriest said. "It's amazing to coach her. She does whatever we ask her to do. I couldn't thank her enough for being a part of the team."
NC has won 14 of 18 since an early-season four-game losing streak. Three of the Green Wave's four losses during their hot streak have come to state-ranked teams in Divisions I and II, and they have beaten Lakewood and Heath to earn season splits and jump from third to first in the standings.
Gibson, who also was a top contributor in Cardinal championships for the NC volleyball and girls basketball teams this school year, opened the game with her first of five hits. Senior Kami Diaz and Bailey followed with run-scoring doubles later in a four-run first inning.
"Coming together as one and trusting each other, and we are definitely starting to mesh at the right time," Diaz said. "Obviously Mary, two bombs in two games, she's on fire. It's more fun because everybody just gets a piece. The win is more of a team effort."
Diaz and senior Maris Knowlton hit RBI singles in front of Bailey's three-run homer in a five-run second inning. Knowlton hit another RBI single in third before Snider and Gibson homered in the fourth and Nagel homered in the fifth.
Diaz, Knowlton and Bailey had three hits each in an offense that appears ready to begin the Green Wave's defense of their district title next week. They have checked their first goal off the list.
"It's just really exciting. I am glad we could do it my senior year," Snider said. "It just means a lot with the team that I have right now."
Senior Makayla Fain singled for the Johnnies' only hit. She and classmate Emily Yanczura scored in the fifth when sophomore Katie Blackburn's hard-hit ground ball up the middle went for an error.
ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com
740-973-4541
Instagram: @newarkurt
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Seniors lead Newark Catholic softball to first league championship in 18 years
Most Popular
Comments / 0