Lady Leopards Rally from Four Runs Vs. Lancers to Advance to Regional Championship – Softball
#9 Louisville 8, #10 Gilmour Academy 7
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The #9 seed Louisville Leopards Softball Team edged the #10 seed Gilmour Academy Lancers 8-7 in the DIII, Region 11 Semifinals Thursday afternoon at Kent State’s Devine Diamond. With the victory, Louisville not only secured a winning season at 16-14-1 but, more importantly, advanced to its second regional final in team history. The Lady Leopards will challenge the #2 seed Boardman Spartans in the DIII Regional Final at Kent State’s Devine Diamond Friday at 5:00 PM.
View Game Recap | View Box Score
Broadcast Courtesy of YSN Live
Claugus Solo Shot Sparks Louisville Rally
Leah Claugus ignited the fire and fueled the fight. The sophomore centerfielder turned in a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the plate with 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored, and a stolen base to lead the Lady Leopards’ comeback.
Claugus wasted no time setting the tone. After Louisville surrendered four runs in the top of the first inning, Claugus stepped into the box and launched a solo home run to straightaway center field to put the Leopards on the board and energize the dugout.
The home run was her 11th of the season and fourth of the tournament, a new team record for home runs in a single postseason. Kaycee Ollis and Shae Thomas previously hit three home runs during the 2019 state championship run. Claugus has now belted six career postseason home runs—doubling the previous program record of three held by Sarah Cantley (2018-2019), Alex Fankhauser (2018-2019), Ollis (2019), and Thomas (2019).
That blast not only cut into the deficit but served as a catalyst for a five-run outburst in the third that completely flipped the game.
Leopards Roar Back with Five-Run Third
Trailing 4-1 heading into the bottom of the third, the Leopards’ offense came alive with a string of seven straight singles to begin the frame. Taylor Schneider and Kaitlin Twinem started the rally with back-to-back singles. Claugus followed with a line drive RBI single to center to make it 4-2. One pitch later, Anna Sirohman ripped a two-run single to left to tie the game. Addy Campbell followed with an RBI single to give Louisville its first lead of the game and Katelynn Miller capped the frame with a single to center to score Olivia Mongiardo, making it 6-4.
Louisville added two more in the fourth thanks to—who else—Claugus, who drove in Twinem with her third hit of the game. After stealing second and advancing to third on an error, Claugus came home on a groundout by Sirohman to give the Leopards what would prove to be a vital 8-4 cushion.
The Lady Leopards out-hit the Lady Lancers 10-9 for the game. Twinem also had a multi-hit game finishing 2-for-3 and scoring two runs. Louisville has now scored 58 runs in four tournament games, just four shy of the team postseason record of 62 held by the 2019 state championship team.
Gundling Powers Gilmour with Two Homers
The Lancers weren’t done. Gilmour junior Ava Gundling, who finished 3-for-3 with 5 RBIs, crushed her second home run of the game in the top of the sixth—a three-run shot to center that suddenly made it a one-run contest at 8-7. The Maryland verbal commit has now homered 12 times this season in just 18 games.
Gundling opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the top of the first inning. RBI singles by Lilly Dinehart and Camden Dreiling brought home Hayden Myers and Ella Jackson, giving the Lancers a quick 4-0 lead.
Dinehart went 2-for-2 at the plate and also hit a double. Gundling smashed a two-out triple in the second, but didn’t score. Ava Paradise accounted for the only other Gilmour Academy extra base hit with a 2-out double in the fourth inning. Campbell fired a strike to a perfectly positioned Twinem at second base, who applied the tag to catch Aiden Pike stealing—one pitch before Paradise’s double. The defensive gem likely saved a run and the Leopards continued what would be four consecutive shutout innings before Gundling’s second homer.
Lady Leopards Reach Regional Final for Second Time
Miller held her ground in the circle. After allowing the long ball, the sophomore pitcher retired the final five batters she faced, sealing the victory with a pop out to Twinem at shortstop that sparked a Leopards celebration.
With the victory, Louisville advances to the Regional Final game for just the second time in program history. Their other regional semifinal win was a 13-0 run-rule victory over Chardon in 2019 in which Cantley threw the only perfect game in team history. They will play for a chance to return to the state tournament at Firestone Stadium when they return to Kent State Friday for a rematch with the Boardman Spartans.
<<< Vs. Revere | Tournament History
UP NEXT: The #9 seed Lady Leopards will take on the #2 seed Boardman Spartans in the DIII, Region 11 Regional Final at Kent State’s Devine Diamond on Friday, May 30 at 5:00 PM.
DIII Northeast Tournament
Regional Semifinals
Wednesday, May 28
REGION 9 (at Miami Softball Stadium)
Greenville 1, New Richmond 0, 9 Innings
Mount Orab Western Brown 8, Hamilton Ross 2
REGION 10
(at Pickerington Central High School)
Carroll Bloom-Carroll 19, Columbus Bishop Hartley 6, 6 Innings
(at Alliance Union Title Field)
Dover 2, #8 Archbishop Hoban 0
REGION 12 (at Shelby)
#1 Aurora 11, Holland Springfield 6
Mansfield Madison Comprehensive 8, Wapakoneta 2
Thursday, May 29
REGION 11 (at Kent State’s Devine Diamond)
#9 Louisville 8, #10 Gilmour Academy 7
#2 Boardman 2, #13 Tallmadge 0
Regional Finals
(Friday, May 30)
REGION 9 (at Miami Softball Stadium)
Greenville Vs. Mount Orab Western Brown, 5:00
REGION 10
(at Pickerington Central High School)
Carroll Bloom-Carroll Vs. Dover, 5:00
REGION 11 (at Kent State’s Devine Diamond)
#9 Louisville Vs. #2 Boardman, 5:00
REGION 12 (at Shelby)
Holland Springfield Vs. Mansfield Madison Comprehensive, 5:00
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Louisville Vs. Gilmour Academy Softball Box Score
LEOPARDS 8, LANCERS 7
Team 123-456-7–R-H-E
Gilmour Academy 400-003-0–7-9-2
Louisville 105-200-X–8-10-1
GILMOUR ACADEMY LANCERS BATTING
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiden Pike #18 (CF) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Ava Paradise #7 (SS) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ava Gundling #1 (LF) | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Hailey Gray #30 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| –Hayden Myers #4 (3B) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sophia Radolovic #16 (C) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ella Jackson #28 (1B) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lilly Dinehart #37 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| —Avery Guenther #8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Camden Dreiling #15 (P) | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Molly McCrone #25 (2B) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| TEAM | 29 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
GILMOUR ACADEMY LANCERS PITCHING
| Player | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camden Dreiling #15 | 6.0 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| TEAM | 6.0 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
LOUISVILLE LEOPARDS BATTING
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leah Claugus #14 (CF) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Anna Sirohman #27 (3B) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Addy Campbell #4 (C) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| — Olivia Mongiardo #15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bailee Griffith #6 (2B) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Katelynn Miller #16 (P) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Taylor Thompson #22 (1B) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shae O’Neill #99 (LF) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Taylor Schneider #1 (RF) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kaitlin Twinem #8 (SS) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM | 27 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 7 |
LOUISVILLE LEOPARDS PITCHING
| Player | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katelynn Miller #16 (W) | 7.0 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| TEAM | 7.0 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
