By: Nate Calvin
GIBSONBURG (MAY 26, 2023) – The Chieftains of Hopewell-Loudon entered Friday’s Division IV regional final at 29-0 and they showed from the start that their perfect record was no fluke.
Hopewell-Loudon brought 10 batters to the plate in the first inning as they put a six-spot on the board and rolled to a 13-2 win in five innings, clinching a berth in the state final four.
The first four Chieftain batters reached base thanks to three doubles and a hit batter to quickly make it 3-0.
Ashley Daniel kept things going by reaching on an error to drive in starting pitcher Isabelle Beidelchies who had doubled and went to third on a passed ball to make it 4-0.
Natalie Holman would walk to put two runners aboard and Brynn Sendelbach delivered a two-run double as the lead grew to 6-0.
Edgerton starter Corrine Cape would get a strikeout and pop out to end a 49-pitch opening frame for the Bulldog sophomore.
Beidelschies added another run for Hopewell-Loudon with a two-out solo homer in the top of the second before Edgerton plated their two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Senior Noelle Ritter led off the inning with a solo blast to center to get Edgerton on the board and Ella Miler followed two batters later with a double to left.
Nessa Cox closed the gap to 7-2 by smacking an RBI single to score Miler and keep the Bulldogs within striking distance after two innings.
Singles runs in the third and fourth by the Chieftains pushed the lead to 9-2, setting the stage for a big fifth inning to put the game away.
Now facing freshman Olivia Wallace who entered the circle in the third inning in relief of Cape, Holman walked, Addy Seibenaller singled, and Taryn Hampton was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one away.
Kylee Malagon drove in a run with a single and with the bases still loaded, Shea Harper cleared the bags by lacing a double to leftfield to make it 13-2.
After Edgerton’s two runs in the second, Beidelschies allowed just two Bulldog hits and tallied five strikeouts over the last three innings.
H-LOUDON 611 14 – 13 11 0
EDGERTON 020 00 – 2 5 3
Records: Edgerton 20-8, Hopewell-Loudon 30-0
WINNING PITCHER: Beidelschies (5 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, 9 strikeouts, 0 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Cape (2 innings, 5 hits, 7 runs, 6 earned, 1 strikeout, 1 walk) Other: Wallace
LEADING HITTERS: (H-L) Hampton – double, single, RBI, 2 runs; Malagon – double, songle, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Harper – double, 3 RBIs; Beidelschies – home run, double, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Sendelbach – double, single, 2 RBIs; Seibenaller – 2 singles; (Edgerton) Ritter – home run; Miler – double
Nate can be reached at sports@thevillagereporter.com