UNION LOCAL pitcher Keira Gregor drops down a tag on West Muskingum’s Marissa McCone during Thursday’s Division III sectional co-final in Morristown. Umpiring is Wayne Ogilbee.
MORRISTOWN – “It ain’t over till it is over.”
That famous Yogi Berra quote was never more appropriate than Thursday afternoon at Union Local.
The eighth-seeded Jets trailed upstart and 14th-seeded Zanesville West Muskingum, 14-7, heading into their final at-bats. As fate would have it, coach Melissa Lahna’s never-say-die charges staged a rally for the ages, amazingly plating eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out a hard-to-fathom, 15-14, victory.
The come-from-behind win propels Union Local into the OHSAA D-III district tournament Monday. The 12-10 Jets will face third-seeded Harrison Central, which defeated Buckeye Trail 8-7 Thursday, at Indian Valley in a 5 p.m. start.
“Our girls never quit believing. I told them in the last inning that we scored 12 runs in one inning against Coshocton, so we could do it again,” Lahna said. “Our sticks have pulled us through all season long. They did it again tonight.
“The last inning showed the type of character these girls have. They could have given up, down seven runs in the last inning,” the Hall of Fame coach beamed. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of them. They really stepped up when their backs were against the wall.”
Union Local pounded out an impressive 19 hits, eight coming in the last inning.
The tough-to-swallow loss ended West Muskingum’s season at 8-19. The Tornadoes shocked top-seeded Martins Ferry in their tournament opener Tuesday, their first sectional win in many seasons.
“Give Union Local credit. They put together a great rally,” West Muskingum coach Bryan Dunn said. “We hit the ball really well. Thirteen runs is usually enough to win a game.
“I am proud of our girls’ effort. We were coming off a great win over Martins Ferry and played well again tonight,” he added. “We are a better team than our record would indicate. We play in a tough conference (MVL). We also only have one senior. I just feel bad for my girls the way the game and season ended.”
Union Local’s seventh-inning heroics were ignited by a lead-off single from Rylee Magnani. She was singled home by Keira Gregor before Marissa McGary doubled. After a popout, Ava Lucas produced an RBI single, cutting the West Muskingum lead to 14-9.
Lauren Miller coaxed a walk before Tornado starting hurler Lexie McPeek, the team’s lone senior, recorded the second out with a flyball to right.
The Jets, however, were not going to be denied.
Sophomore standout Torre Kildow followed with her fourth hit of the day, an RBI single. Emily Kellaway produced an RBI single before Magnani delivered her second hit of the inning, another RBI single. She scored when Gregor safely reached on a fielder’s choice, making it a 14-13 issue.
McGary climaxed the thrilling comeback by drilling a solid single, bringing home a pair of Jets and setting off a wild celebration.
In addition to her hitting heroics, Kildow gained the pitching win. She relieved Gregor in the sixth inning.
Union Local found itself down, 5-0, before tallying four runs in the third inning. Kildow and Kellaway started the frame with successive singles. Magnani doubled in a pair before Gregor and McGary brought in teammates via singles.
The Jets, trailing 8-4, tallied one a run in the fifth, courtesy of an RBI double by Magnani. The hosts added two more runs in the sixth. Hannah Merritt doubled and came home on a Miller single. Alleigh Cheatham capped the frame with a single.
West Muskingum took a 9-6 lead into the seventh.
The Tornadoes added four more runs in the frame to build what appeared to be a safe seven-run advantage. The big blast came from Katlyn Foster as the powerful shortstop unloaded a two-run homer over the left-field fence.
McPeek went the distance in the circle for West Muskingum, striking out two and walking one. She was also the Tornadoes’ hitting star with five safeties — three singles, a double and triple to go with three RBI.
Magnani and Kildow paced the Jet attack with four hits each while McGary checked in with three.
West Muskingum scored six runs on Jet wild pitches.
“It is a great feeling going to the district tournament. It is even sweeter with how we did it tonight,” Lahna said. “It’s been a long time since Union Local has been in the districts. I think the last time was 2009.
“This group is very deserving of this. They have worked hard all year and done everything we have asked of them,” she added. “We will enjoy it tonight but get back to work tomorrow and get ready for Monday.”
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