BEREA — For the 17th time in program history, Hillsdale is headed to the state tournament.
The Falcons punched their ticket to next week’s Division IV Final Four with a dramatic 6-5 win over Hopewell-Loudon in the regional championship game at Baldwin-Wallace University’s Roehm Athletic Complex.
The Falcons (23-3) will play either West Unity Hilltop or Van Wert Lincolnview in the state semifinals at 12:30 p.m. June 3 at Firestone Stadium in Akron. Hilltop and LIncolnview play at 5 p.m. Friday in Clyde.
Hillsdale built what appeared to be a comfortable 6-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh before Hopewell-Loudon came to life. The Chieftains cut Hillsdale’s advantage to 6-4 before the first out of the inning had been recorded and cut it to 6-5 with two out before Hillsdale ace Taylor Morgan coaxed a game-ending groundout to shortstop Mollie Goon.
Morgan went the distance, surrendering 10 hits. She walked three and struck out three.
The Falcons built a 6-1 lead, scoring a single run in the first, two in the second and single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh.
Hillsdale’s first run came courtesy of a Hopewell-Loudon error. Goon doubled with two out in the top of the first and came around to score when Belle Dalton’s ground ball to short was misplayed.
Laci Huber led off the Hillsdale second with a double to left and moved to third on Willow Funk’s sacrifice bunt. Keira Filius reached on a ground ball to short, putting runners at first and third with one out. Filius stole second to put two runners in scoring position before Jacey Sermulis plated Huber with a groundout to short. Kylie Ohl followed with a single to center, plating Filius.
Hopewell-Loudon trimmed Hillsdale’s lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the second, but Hillsdale responded in the top of the fourth. Morgan drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the inning and was lifted for courtesy runner Rodaynn Mast. Huber bunted for a base hit, putting runners at first and second. With one out, Filius grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring Mast home and make it 4-1.
Hillsdale struck with two out in the fifth. Goon drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on Dalton’s single to center and came home on Morgan’s single to center.
Hillsdale’s final — and what proved to be the game-winning — run came in the top of the seventh when Ohl singled and scored on Hopewell-Loudon’s third and final error of the afternoon.
Ohl, Goon and Huber each had two hits for the Falcons. Goon and Huber each doubled.
