Softball: Avon ends drought vs. North Ridgeville with 1-0 win behind ace Maria Young

AVON — It had been a long time since Avon beat North Ridgeville in softball. That changed Thursday. The Eagles rode a two-hit, 13-strikeout shutout from Maria Young to take down the defending Southwestern Conference champion Rangers 1-0 in the league opener for both teams. "We have a confident bunch that just believes in themselves," said Avon coach Jason Ochs, who said the last time his team beat North Ridgeville was 2021. "With the competition we've seen in our scrimmages and amongst ourselves in practice, we don't have a lot of varsity experience, but we have a lot of talent." Young had a no-hitter through three innings, striking out five of the first six batters, including the first four. Her only blemish going into the fourth was a walk, but that changed when Maddie Chinchar led off the inning with a single. The Rangers brought her around to third, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning. Avon's sophomore ace allowed just two hits and a walk. "I liked how I had my defense behind me," Young said. "I really felt I could rely on them. And that took the weight off my shoulders. Playing our first home opener against a really good team, knowing I had my defense behind me helped me lock in and just throw strikes." Avon (2-0, 1-0) got its only run in the first inning thanks to Jenna Smith, who could have driven in two had it not been for an interference call. Jocelin Ochs was hit by a pitch and Jordan Aysh walked to start the game. Two batters later Smith delivered a grounder into center field. Initially both runners scored and Smith got to second, but Aysh was called out on interference, negating her run, putting a second out on the board and forcing Smith back to first base. "I knew what I had to do to hit the outside ball and just get a run against a very good, competitive team," Smith said. "It means a lot because we haven't beaten them in a couple of years. They're a good team and we are too. To break that down and finally get a win on the board against them means a lot." The Eagles could have used that second run with North Ridgeville's Brynnely Cole dealing. She ultimately allowed just six hits and two walks with 11 strikeouts, going the distance. The Rangers (0-2, 0-1) couldn't get her any help offensively. All of North Ridgeville's baserunners reached scoring position, with two moving to third, but the Rangers couldn't get that extra hit to even the score. "We beat ourselves," North Ridgeville coach Amy McMillan said. "Errors hurt us, giving up hit by pitch and a walk in the first inning, it's tough to come into somebody's house and do that. Little things like that. That mental toughness of you can't beat yourself. We had some errors, let some things go through and we just didn't put the bat on the ball." Contact Chris Sweeney at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. Follow him on X @CSweeney1686.