Watkins Memorial softball seniors make it 4 for 4, earn another state berth

SUNBURY — Cortney Dobbs' voice is often the loudest in the Watkins Memorial softball team's dugout.

The senior, however, let her bat do the talking Friday. Dobbs' first-inning three-run home run was the biggest blow in the Warriors' 5-0 victory against Lancaster in a Division I regional final at Big Walnut.

"It's been great. The way I have been able to help my team is awesome," said Dobbs, who also sparked the Warriors to a semifinal win against Hilliard Bradley with a first-inning RBI double. "Last year, I definitely was not like this. I was not hot. I am on now and I hope to stay on throughout the rest of the tournament. When we are on, we are unstoppable."

Watkins (30-1) won its fourth consecutive regional title. The Warriors finished the season ranked No. 2 in the Ohio High School Fastpitch Coaches Association poll and beat the No. 5 Golden Gales (28-4) for the second time this season. It was their third victory over Lancaster in four seasons at the regional level.

Watkins plays No. 3 Anthony Wayne at 5:30 p.m. May 31 at Firestone Stadium in Akron. Anthony Wayne advanced by beating Perrysburg 9-1. No. 4 Austintown-Fitch, which beat No. 1 Walsh Jesuit 8-2 on Friday, plays Fairfield in the earlier semifinal at 3 p.m.

"(Being a senior) is a lot of leadership and keeping your team up, having each other's backs," Dobbs said. "(The underclassmen) know how important it is to us. This is our fourth year, and we obviously want it more than anything."

Dobbs' home run to left-center came two batters after junior Kyliee Trouten and senior Jordyn Wycuff opened the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back singles. Dobbs' home run came off Lancaster senior Reese Poston, who then was replaced by junior Ashlin Mowery.

Three runs were all right-hander Carsyn Cassady needed as she threw her fifth consecutive postseason shutout. Cassady struck out just five, a low number by Cassady's standards, and junior right fielder Grace Whitman made a running, lunging catch in the sixth inning and a running catch with her back to the infield in the seventh.

"(Assistant coach Mike Willis) has been prepping us for this moment (in the outfield), so it's really special," Whitman said. "(The first one) happened a little quick, but I'm happy with it. Hopefully, I looked smooth. Honestly, (the second one), I couldn't tell you what was going through my head. I just saw it was a long ball, and I thought, 'If I crash into the fence, hopefully (Trouten) tells me, so I have a warning.' (Trouten) had my back."

Lancaster scratched out four hits, but none left the infield. Ten pop-ups and soft line drives were caught on the infield by Watkins' defenders.

"Grace did amazing. Some of those plays are doubles in the gap, and she made amazing plays," Cassady said. "I tried to spin it to make pop-ups, and everyone on the infield picked up on what I was trying to do."

Leading 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning, Watkins junior Carlie Taggart reached on a throwing error as her two-out bunt hugged the third-base line. Trouten followed and dropped a double into short left-center, and Taggart raced in to score.

Dobbs hit a one-out double in the third inning. Junior Kendal Tellings followed with a hard-hit grounder up the middle as Dobbs skipped out of the way and then headed around third and in to score.

"Coming out in the first inning and scoring runs, it sets a tone for the whole game," Cassady said. "It shows you we are here to play."

Mowery settled in and struck out 12 for the Gales, but the damage was long done.

Watkins again is rolling into the state tournament and faces Anthony Wayne for the third time over the past four seasons in the semifinal round. The scoreboard suggests the Warriors have made it look easy, but it has been far from it.

"We knew this was a coin flip game," Watkins coach Mike Jellison said. "They are just as talented a team as we are. They only struck out five times, the lowest Carsyn's ever had in a (complete game). Our defense stepped up, and we had good at-bats. Just our attitude and our energy, our girls know what it takes to compete at this level."

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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Watkins Memorial softball seniors make it 4 for 4, earn another state berth