H.S. Softball: Amherst locks up at least share of 6th straight SWC title

AMHERST — Lacey Reichert described Thursday's Southwestern Conference showdown against Avon as a business trip. The Comets took care of business in splendid fashion, mercy-ruling Avon 11-1 to clinch at least a share of the SWC championship — their sixth straight title. "It's funny because after our game (Wednesday) we told our girls they had to come out (today) with a businesslike approach," said Reichert, who has been at the helm for all six titles. "Avon's not going to come here and hand you anything. They're not. They're too good, they're too proud. They're too well-coached. "To our girls' credit, they approached the game with the right mindset, took it in stride and played exactly how we needed them to play." Amherst (16-7, 13-1 SWC) held off the Eagles (14-7, 9-5) 4-3 on Wednesday to give itself a chance Thursday to earn at least a share of the title with North Ridgeville. The Rangers still have a game Monday at Avon Lake. If they win, they'll share the crown for the second straight season. There was no nonsense Thursday. Amherst junior Sierra Dorobek set down Avon in order in the first inning and the Comets quickly scored twice in the bottom half. Singles from Brianna Sadler and Cassidy Kettleman and a double to right field by Rachel Miller got the business of winning going, and the Comets never stopped. After an early season 13-0 loss to North Ridgeville, not many expected Amherst to repeat as champion. "Definitely being put out of the count gave us the motivation to get back here," Kettleman said. "Not only to do it for ourselves but to prove others wrong. It gave us the extra momentum that we needed. We lost a lot of seniors last year. To be able to be here again and to win it and continue on, it's insane and I love it. It definitely makes my senior year." Miller doubled twice and drove in five runs. Kettleman had a pair of singles and walked twice. She also made several plays in the field, plays that are expected of a Division I recruit who's headed to Indiana University. The Sadler sisters — Brianna and Nevaeh — set the table at the top of the order, scoring four runs and driving in one with three hits, two walks and a sacrifice bunt between them. Kristen Kelley added two hits, two runs scored and an RBI. "We tell the little Sadlers, 'You got to get on base,'" Reichert said. "You have one of the best hitters in Ohio (Kettleman) coming up behind you and the way Rachel Miller's been hitting in that four spot, we're pretty dangerous — three, four, five because Kristen Kelley's smoking the ball, too. They're our table-setters and when they get on base, often times big innings do happen." On the mound, Dorobek was steady. Avon managed to get only two runners as far as third base and neither scored. She struck out only two but walked just one. "She's kind of been our horse all year," Reichert said. "She's one of those pitchers. She's not going to overpower you. She relies on her off-speed and her location and her spin. Her change-up was dynamite. She got a lot of hitters to pop balls up, hit weak grounders." "We didn't play well," said a disappointed Ken Matuszak, coach of the Eagles. "Our bats weren't there, our gloves weren't there. We walked people. We just didn't play well. Kudos to (the Comets). They played well." Avon finished with five hits but couldn't string anything together. Emma Ody's two-out solo home run in the sixth was the lone run. Lauren Fischer had a pair of hits for the Eagles. Contact Tim Gebhardt at 329-7135 or timothygeb@msn.com. Amherst 11, Avon 1 Avon&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;Amherst&emsp;&emsp;ab&emsp;&emsp;r&emsp;&emsp;h&emsp;&emsp;bi&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;ab&emsp;&emsp;r&emsp;&emsp;h&emsp;&emsp;biClapham&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;BSadler&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;0Berki&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;NSadler&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;1Dykin&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;Kettleman&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;2Ody&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;Miller&emsp;&emsp;4&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;5Fischer&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;Kelley&emsp;&emsp;4&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;1Mangan&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;Marcano&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0Rodriguez&emsp;&emsp;2&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;Waldecki&emsp;&emsp;4&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0Smith&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;Bertke&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0Maxey&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;Stottlemire&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0Holbrook&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;Jackson&emsp;&emsp;3&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;Dorobek&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;0&emsp;&emsp;Totals&emsp;&emsp;22&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;5&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;Totals&emsp;&emsp;28&emsp;&emsp;11&emsp;&emsp;10&emsp;&emsp;10Avon&emsp;&emsp;000&emsp;&emsp;001&emsp;—1&emsp;&emsp;5&emsp;&emsp;3Amherst&emsp;&emsp;201&emsp;&emsp;125&emsp;—11&emsp;&emsp;10&emsp;&emsp;02B—Rodriguez, Miller 2, Kelley. HR—Ody. SAC—Maxey, N.Sadler, Marcano. E—Dykin, Ody, Rodriguez. LOB—Avon 5, Amherst 9.&emsp;&emsp;IP&emsp;&emsp;H&emsp;&emsp;R&emsp;&emsp;ER&emsp;&emsp;BB&emsp;&emsp;SOAvon Smith (L)&emsp;&emsp;5 1/3*&emsp;&emsp;10&emsp;&emsp;11&emsp;&emsp;7&emsp;&emsp;5&emsp;&emsp;4AmherstDorobek (W,14-5)&emsp;&emsp;6&emsp;&emsp;5&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;1&emsp;&emsp;2* 1 out when mercy run scored.WP—Smith, Dorobek.