As dialed in Cassady wins 100th, Watkins cruises to another title

PICKERINGTON ― With graduation scheduled for Saturday, Carsyn Cassady and her Watkins Memorial softball teammates were really hoping to play their Division I district championship game on Friday.

"I had my full uniform on and the car keys in my hand yesterday," the Warriors' Michigan State-bound senior right-hander said. "Then we got rained out."

The sense of urgency is hitting home for Cassady, who wasn't going to allow even graduation to distract her from the task at hand. In the rescheduled game at Pickerington Central against 13th-seed Olentangy Orange, top-seeded Watkins (28-1) overpowered the Pioneers 10-0 for their fourth consecutive district title, and Cassady, after throwing five-inning no-hitters in her previous two outings, recorded a five-inning one-hitter with 13 strikeouts Saturday for her 100th career victory.

"She told me earlier, 'I thought about crying since it was graduation,'" first baseman Kendal Tellings said. "Then she said, 'I'm not going to. It's game day.' "

"I've been up since 4:30 this morning. I guess I did say that," Cassady conceded with a laugh. "I've kind of grown up, and realize that any game could be my last, and I don't want it to end now. Someone told me about the 100 wins, and it was nothing I was really thinking about. Just wanted to get the W and move on."

Coach Mike Jellison said the 100 wins have come with a lot of hard work, as Watkins tries to make the state tournament for a fourth straight year and bring back its first-ever state championship.

"That puts her fifth all-time in Ohio," he said. "(Bloom-Carroll's) Taran Alvelo is first with 108, and if she hadn't missed 10 or 11 games last year with injury, she probably could have passed her."

As it is, the Warriors aren't looking past the next game and showed it Saturday against the Pioneers (17-9), who reached base only three times, all in the same inning. Maddie Yanka and Gabi Tiberi walked in the third, and Kennedy Reed's bloop single to left, just out of the reach of diving shortstop Maleya Thompson, loaded the bases. But Cassady struck out Jordyn Pelles to end the inning, then the next five batters too.

"I had a lot of spin today," Cassady said. "When you're able to see the spin on the ball, then you know it's definitely working. No matter how the team is that we're playing, we're not going to play down or get outside of our level."

Watkins took advantage of a hit batter and three walks issued by losing pitcher Gauri Naik to score four first-inning runs. Tellings delivered a two-run single to left, then freshman pinch hitter Gracie Gerhardt had a two-out, two-run single up the middle.

"I was just trying to hit behind the runners and do my job," Tellings said. "Everyone is working well together and getting along. We're as tight as we've ever been right now."

Jellison said Gerhardt has earned her chances at the plate.

"She's been hitting well in the clutch the last few weeks, and we're finding ways to get her in the lineup and be part of the plan," he said.

The Warriors took advantage of three Pioneers' errors and Ava McKee's sacrifice to tack on two more in the third. Then in the fourth, nine-hole hitter Kyliee Trouten ignited the team with her first-ever home run, a solo shot over the center field fence. Thompson's two-run double scored pinch hitter Bryna Davis, who had walked, and Jordyn Wycuff, who had singled, and the 10th run came home on a fielder's choice.

"I'm so excited for her (Trouten)," Tellings said. "Being her first career homer, the whole team was hype, and she's usually our hype man."

Cassady said Trouten proved to be a prophet.

"Right before she came up, she told someone, 'What about if I hit a home run?'" Cassady said. "Then she hit it, and we all went crazy. She got to wear that crown that we give out for home runs."

Jellison said not only was it Trouten's first home run, but her first extra-base hit of the season.

"She has like 24 or 25 singles," he said. "She's really engaged in her role."

Afterward, the Warriors were excited to be moving on to Wednesday's 2 p.m. regional semifinal at Big Walnut against Hilliard Bradley (25-1), which survived Tri-Valley 3-2.

"These girls know how hard it is to win a district title," Jellison said. "You look at the other three games, they were all close. At this point, anyone can beat anyone, and you can't take anyone lightly."

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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: As dialed in Cassady wins 100th, Watkins cruises to another title