Lady Leopards Rally for 7-6 Extra Inning Win Over Mustangs in Season Opener – Softball
Louisville 7, Tuslaw 6, 8 Innings
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The Louisville Leopards Varsity Softball Team opened the 2025 regular season with a thrilling 7-6 walk-off victory over the visiting Tuslaw Mustangs Monday evening at West Main Vet Clinic Field. Shae O’Neill’s perfectly placed sacrifice bunt brought home Leah Claugus in the bottom of the eighth to seal the dramatic win.
Griffith & Campbell Go Back-To-Back
Tuslaw jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning behind Hadley Porter’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice, a sacrifice bunt by Dani Crescenze, and an RBI single from Eiley Bolgiano. The Mustangs added two more in the third when Shaylyn Fox launched a two-run homer over the left field fence, giving Tuslaw a 5-2 advantage.
The Leopards clawed back with power of their own. Sophomore third baseman Bailee Griffith crushed a solo shot to center, followed by a deep homer to right from junior Addy Campbell in back-to-back at-bats during the bottom of the third to trim the deficit to 5-4.
Miller Fans 10, Keeps Louisville in the Game
Sophomore pitcher Katelynn Miller was strong in the circle for the Leopards, striking out 10 batters in eight innings of work. After surrendering three early runs in the first and two more on the Fox homer in the third, Miller settled in and allowed just one earned run over the final five innings. She walked only two and threw 140 pitches (90 for strikes) while earning the win.
Tuslaw’s Isabel McCune also went the distance, striking out five over 7.2 innings, but the Leopards capitalized on Mustang miscues late in the contest.
Leopards Rally to Force Extra Innings
Trailing 6-4 entering the bottom of the fifth, Miller reached third on a single and two wild pitches before scoring on an error by the Tuslaw catcher.
Destiny Hanze reached on an error by the shortstop to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Olivia Mongiardo entered as a courtesy runner for freshman Destiny Hanze and stole second. Griffith then delivered again, singling to center to tie the game at 6-6, sending the game to extra innings.
Claugus Scores Winning Run from First
After a scoreless top of the eighth, Claugus got aboard on a perfectly placed infield single to the left of the shortstop that didn’t draw a throw to first. O’Neill laid down a sacrifice bunt after that and Claugus got a perfect jump bolting to second base. The play was made at first, but Claugus rounded second heading for third. The ensuing throw over was overthrown and Claugus was able to slide head first into home plate to end the game.
Griffith and Sirohman Record Multi-Hit Games
Griffith finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs, a home run, and 5 total bases to lead Louisville’s offense. Anna Sirohman also had a 2-hit performance, while Campbell added a homer and RBI. Claugus, Miller, and Kaitlin Twinem each recorded a hit and a run scored. O’Neill also had a base hit. Mongiardo contributed on the base paths swiping a key base and scoring the game-tying run in the seventh.
Louisville racked up 9 total hits, with all 7 runs being scored by different players.
Louisville Wins Sixth Straight Vs. Tuslaw
The Lady Leopards have now won six straight against the Lady Mustangs. Louisville is now 6-1 against Tuslaw all-time, which includes a 2-0 record at home in the series.
The Lady Leopards won at Tuslaw 5-1 last season and 9-5 in their only other home matchup in 2023. The Mustangs only win in the series came in 1990, a 5-2 win at Tuslaw.
<<< Previous 2024 | Tuslaw All-Time Series
UP NEXT: The Lady Leopards will next travel to take on the Boardman Spartans on Tuesday, March 25. Game time is set for 5:00 PM from Boardman High School.
Tuslaw at Louisville Softball Box Score
LEOPARDS 7, MUSTANGS 6, 8 INNINGS
Team 123-456-78–R-H-E
Tuslaw 302-100-00–6-10-5
Louisville 112-010-11–7-9-2
TUSLAW MUSTANGS BATTING STATS
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gracie Sirgo #11 (2B) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| –Gabby McGowen #21 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaydence Chapman #4 (CF) | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Isabel McCune #28 (P) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Hadley Porter #9 (C) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dani Crescenze #5 (SS) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Eiley Bolgiano #3 (1B) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Shaylyn Fox #18 (LF) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Hailey Carano #7 (3B) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kailey Valentine #12 (RF) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| –Adyson Nussbaum #25 (RF) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM | 34 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
TUSLAW MUSTANG PITCHING STATS
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isabel McCune #28 | 7.2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| TEAM | 7.2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
WP: Isabel McCune 3
LOUISVILLE LEOPARDS BATTING STATS
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaitlin Twinem #8 (SS) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Katelynn Miller #16 (P) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bailee Griffith #6 (3B) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Addy Campbell #4 (2B/C) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Anna Sirohman #27 (2B) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leah Claugus #14 (CF) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shae O’Neill #99 (RF) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Taylor Thompson #22 (1B) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Destiny Hanze #9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| –Olivia Mongiardo #15 (LF) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM | 31 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
LOUISVILLE LEOPARDS PITCHING STATS
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katelyn Miller #16 | 8.0 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
| TEAM | 8.0 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
HBP: Katelyn Miller
Records: Louisville 1-0, Tuslaw 0-1
