National Trail’s Breanna Melling tossed a 5-inning no-hitter to lead the Blazers to a 19-0 win over Catholic Centrail in the first round of the Division IV sectional softball tournament.
NEW PARIS — After cruising past Catholic Central 19-0 in the first round of the Division IV sectional softball tournament, National Trail’s bowed out in the sectional final with a 10-4 setback to No. 4 seed Fort Loramie Thursday, May 11.
Against Catholic Central, Trail started early, plating three runs in the home first, with timely hitting and heads up baserunning. The Blazers continued the offensive outburst with eight runs in the second. It was a game where many players made big contributions. Eight different Blazers got hits and ten scored runs.
Makayla Turner, Trista Hannah, and Carley Hamm each collected multiple hits for the Blazers. Katelynn Neace, Maddie Harison, Hannah and Hamm drove in multiple runs.
Breanna Melling threw a no-hit shut-out over five innings, striking out one and walking one. Jaleah Coffey preserved the no-hitter when she threw out the lead runner at second base, in the fourth inning.
“It was a satisfying victory for the four seniors — Katelynn Neace, Trista Hannah, Haley Davidson, and Maddie Harrison — in their final appearance on their home diamond,” Trail coach Lon Swihart said.
In the second round of the tournament, National Trail traveled to Fort Loramie.
Things started well in the first inning when Harrison doubled, Davidson followed with a single, then Hamm drove in the first run with another solid base hit up the middle. With two outs, Trista Hannah hit one into the gap to drive in two more runs.
The Redskins responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first. From there, the Blazers struggled to put runners in scoring position. Fort Loramie gained the lead in the third, plating four runs. Katelynn Neace scored Trail’s final run in the sixth.
The Blazers finish the season with a 10-11 record.
Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on Twitter @emowenjr.
