River 5, Shadyside 0

The River Pilot softball team established a new school mark set in the 2000’s for the most victories in a season with 24 when they knocked off a stubborn Frontier Lady Cougar squad 5-0 in the Ohio Division IV sectional tournament May 10 at Mead Township Park in Shadyside.

Pilot hurler Gabby Goudy tossed a complete game one-hit shutout, striking out 12 Lady Cougar batters and walking two. She faced one batter over the minimum as her two walks were erased on steal attempts.

Goudy also scored the game’s first tally for the Pilots in the third. After an infield single, Mackenzie Marshall’s bunt attempt was bobbled and thrown widely at third trying to pick off Goudy. However, the throw attempt skipped off the third basemen’s glove and rolled to the outfield and Marshall scampered to third on the play. Later, Marshall would score on a Rosie Romick sacrifice for a Lady Pilot 2-0 advantage.

The score stood the same until the fifth, when Goudy drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second with two outs. She then stole third and scored on a Romick single. Mikayla Cieszeski followed with a double to score Romick and Emelie Heater tripled to knock in Cieszeski, making it 5-0, Lady Pilots.

Goudy retired 12 Lady Tigers in a row from the second through the sixth frame before yielding her only hit of the game – a two-out infield single – to Maddie Greathouse.

Leading the way offensively for the Big Red Machine was Heater and Goudy with two hits apiece, while Curtis and Marshall each singled. In addition, Cieszeski had an RBI double, while Romick added an RBI and Goudy stole a base and scored two runs.

River 3, St. John 1

The Lady Pilots topped their newly-set school record with a 3-1 sectional championship victory against Bellaire St. John.

Marshall knocked in the tying and go-ahead runs in the sixth frame with a two-RBI double, while Brissa Marshall stole home in the seventh for an insurance run.

However, Monica Curtis followed a nice one-hitter shutout by Goudy in the semifinal victory with a three-hit white-washing over the Lady Irish, striking out five and walking two.

It spoiled a 14-strikeout, no-walk performance by Irish hurler Hannah Absalom that also broke up the shutout with an RBI single in the third frame.

Cieszeski had a single and a double at the plate, while Curtis added an two RBI double and Madi Taylor and Haylee Bowers each singled.

Next up for the Lady Pilots is state ranked Strasburg May 20 at 5 p.m. at Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School near New Philadelphia.

River 17, Frontier 0

Gabby Goudy struck out 11 Blue Devil batters in her second no-hitter of the season – and fifth of her career – to help lead the Pilots to a 17-0 shutout of the home-standing Beallsville May 6.

The Lady Pilots scored four runs in the first inning, two in the second, seven in the third and four more in the fourth stanza, while pounding out 15-hits, including a two-run homer by Lexi Piatt.

Emilie Heater plated two runs on a triple and three singles, while Mackenzie Marshall has an RBI triple. Madi Taylor brought home a run on a pair of base hits. Haylee Bowers also brought home a pair of runs on two hits, while adding a sacrifice and a stolen base.

In addition, Rosie Romick knocked in three with a single, while Mikayla Cieszeski sent home another with a double. Zoe Rush had an RBI single for all the Big Red Machine hits.