Senecas cruise by rival Chieftains 8-1 to win 1st district title since 1988

CASTALIA – Hooray!That's the word the Calvert softball team has been using quite a bit this historic season. The Senecas under third-year head coach Leah Bouillon have embraced the chance of making history and that's exactly what the Senecas did Saturday. In a Division VII district final at Lions Park in Castalia, the Senecas topped rival Hopewell-Loudon 8-1 for the program's first district championship since 1988.They did it in convincing fashion with 13 hits and an excellent performance in the circle from freshman Ava Eilrich."Hooray is the word we've been using this whole season, embracing the moment, embracing every team. Hats off to (H-L) coach (Tony) Malagon he has an excellent program over there, but I'm so proud of these Senecas," Bouillon said. "From sun up to sun down, extra reps, we played so many close games in such a hard conference and not once did we fold. We continued to be hungry, continued to be aggressive. "We had this circled when I came on as the head coach of our staff. I wanted to make history and win districts, which we were able to do today and I couldn't be more proud."After a scoreless 1 ½ innings Saturday, Calvert (22-4) got things going in the bottom of the second inning against H-L (18-10) pitcher Araceli Velasquez. Gracie Miller got things started with a single past third base and then stole second base. Claire Schoenberger then reached first on an infield single and then Miller scored on a Sofia Lee RBI single. Kaleigh Concepcion laid down a perfect bunt to reach first, while Lee sprinted home to score another run on the throw to first base. Addie Endicott lined a single to right, Scarlett Faber also laid down a spectacular bunt to reach first, Eilrich drove in a run with a single and then Concepcion scored on a wild throw and another run scored as Addison King reached on an error. All of a sudden it was 5-0 Senecas.Things snowballed a bit in the inning for the Chieftains and it was tough to battle back into the game against a solid pitcher and defense Calvert had."Like most of our games this year either we started strong and then got sloppy in the middle … but that happened again with their five-run inning," Malagon said. "We didn't hit the ball terribly bad, but we did leave some baserunners on, so there just wasn't enough hits we put together and in that inning they put some pressure on us with some nice speed and a couple bunts we didn't make the play on. Hats off to them, I wish them well"Calvert tacked on three insurance runs in the fourth as Alyssa Rishty drilled a double to left center and then scored on an Eilrich RBI single past third base. King then poked a single into center, followed by an RBI double to left from Gracie Miller, which she then scored on a wild pitch.H-L's lone run came in the top of the fifth as the inning began with three consecutive singles from Madison Holcomb, Avery Landers and then an RBI single from Sidney Brickner to right field, but Eilrich struck out two batters in a row to end the inning and any kind of threat."The game plan with our pitching decision was that in our league you play everyone twice and (Eilrich) did not pitch one inning against Hopewell all year," Bouillon said. "King did her job, which that's what a senior leader does, it was the fourth year of Hopewell seeing Addison King, which she went to Hopewell and beat them there and then won again at home when we played them. "That gave us the opportunity to save Ava … if it was roles reversed, it would've been roles reversed. If we're able to save a pitcher when we play a team three times, it's ideal."In the end, Eilrich tossed the complete game, allowing the one run on seven hits with five strikeouts and only one walk. She bested Velasquez, who gave up five runs on seven hits in three innings. Brynn Sendelbach pitched the final three innings for the Chieftains.Calvert tallied hits up and down its lineup Saturday, but it was especially strong in the middle of the order as hitters 2-5 produced 10 hits and four RBIs, including three hits from Rishty. The senior re-joined the softball team this season after playing her first two years of high school before taking a year off in 2024. Coming off a historic basketball season on the hardwood for Rishty, the senior shortstop is just used to making history at this point. Add it to the stellar career of the school's all-time leading scorer in basketball."I'm very happy. I get to spend one more season with my friends, which was the main reason I did it, but the success we're having also is big," Rishty said. "I think it's because we're so close-knit … but it was a very good decision I made back in February. It worked out."Leah wanted this a lot, so to be at Calvert one last time to see softball 2025 (on the wall in the gym), it means a lot to be a part of this."The Senecas now move on to the regional semifinals against Ayersville (17-4), who topped Antwerp 7-0 in its district final Saturday. The two will square off Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Bowling Green State University.