Riverside vs. Walsh Jesuit softball: Beavers bow out of Division I tournament
May 16—The Riverside softball team's postseason run came to an end May 16 via a heartbreaking, 4-2 loss to Walsh Jesuit in a Division I district semifinal in Massillon.
McKayla McGee shot a two-out, two-run single to right-center in the top of the seventh to break a 2-2 tie. Riverside went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to give the Warriors the 4-2 win.
"It's tough," Coach Bill Ross said. "It was great to see the girls battle back after we got down 2-0 early. You want to win, but if you're going to go out, you want to go out in a great game against a great team."
Riverside (19-3) fell back in the first inning when Walsh's Natalie Susa unloaded on a Grace Fisher offering for a two-run home run to right.
The Beavers got closer in the second when Emma Kovalchuk hammered a home run to center.
"That was an absolute bomb," Ross said. "It was a no-doubter off the bat. It was great to see her do that and get us going. We were super excited for her."
Riverside evened the game in the fifth when Emi Jeras walked and moved up on a wild pitch. She went to third on a sacrifice funt by Milani McCaleb, then scored on a two-out wild pitch.
"I thought Emi did a nice job," Ross said. "She had some really good at-bats. She did a good job working to get that tying run in."
Ross said McGhee's game-winner was a good pitch by Fisher (12-2), but the opposite-field poke found grass to untie the game.
"Give her credit," Ross said. "The runners were going with two outs and they got both runs in. She had a nicer at-bat."
Fisher walked three and struck out eight. With that performance, she eclipsed the 300-strikeout plateau for her career.
Riverside will play its season finale on May 17 against North. A win in that game would give the Beavers a 20-win season and an undefeated WRC record this season.
"It's almost like a second senior night," Ross said. "It's a day to have fun with the seniors one last time. I hope we can leave on a high note."
