Plymouth tops South Central for district title

GALION — Makenzie Back had unfinished business. The Plymouth senior started district championship games in each of the past two seasons, but both times came out on the wrong end. Facing Firelands Conference rival South Central on Thursday was a third-straight opportunity to write part of her legacy, and Back was not about to let this chance go by. Back struck out 13 batters, and it was only fitting she fielded the ground ball for the final out, lifting the the No. 4-seeded Big Red to a 8-3 win in a Division IV district championship vgame win over the No. 3-seed Trojans in Galion. "It just feels really exciting," Back said. "South Central is one of our rival teams. To beat them for districts means a lot. We have a lot of good friends on the team. The energy and environment is nice." Plymouth improved to 16-10 overall and will next face the winner of Friday's Bryan district championship game that features Edgerton and Defiance Ayersville. That regional semifinal will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Gibsonburg High School. "When I asked her if she was ready, she looked at me and said 'I'm ready to kick some butt.' That's enough. Let's go," Plymouth head coach Byron Bailey said of his standout ace. "She's not very vocal. She's a silent assassin. She gets the job done." The two teams split two regular-season meetings with Plymouth winning 6-0 at home on April 10 and South Central bouncing back the next day at home, 7-5. This is the first district title for the Big Red since back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016. "Its special," Bailey said. "It's something we've been working for for three years. We've been close every year and this one we finally did the job." Back consistently was able to pitch out of jams. The Trojans (11-12) left runners in scoring position four times including the bases loaded in the fourth and fifth inning. "In the grand scheme of things, that says a lot about who she is and how tough she is," South Central coach Josh Cunningham said. "We had opportunities to really blow it open early and she kept us intact and didn't allow that big hit. That's who she is and that's why she's one of the best in the conference." The Big Red led just 2-0 after three innings, but took what proved to be a crucial lead in the fourth. Lilly Cook reached on an infield single to open the inning before Kristi Yeager also singled. Carlie Finnegan then laid down a bunt that was bobbled, allowing Finnegan to reach. Trying to be aggressive, Cook rounded third and went home, but was tagged out. That didn't deter Plymouth. Chloe Trine reached on an infield single to load the bases. A fielder's choice back to Hannah Ayers in the circle cut down the runner at home, but left the bases loaded for Jaylin Branham. After a huge home run earlier in the game, Branham hit a single into left field to bring in two runs. On the next pitch, Back pulled the ball down the left-field line that became a two-run triple. In a matter of two pitches, the Big Red increased their lead from 2-0 to 6-0. "This group of seniors, I couldn't ask for a better group," Bailey said. "They've been leaders. We've had 6 a.m. hitting (sessions), and they're always there. They're pushing kids to get better. It's been an awesome ride so far." South Central finally got some key hits in the fifth inning. The Trojans missed opportunities in the third and fourth, but got to Back in the fifth. Emalee Richards singled before Kaylee Richards doubled. Back bounced back with a strikeout, but Lydia Chaffee's two-run single got South Central on the board. Kyrstin Hamons then drew a walk before Ayers tallied a RBI double to get within 6-3 with runners on second and third. But as would be the theme for the day, Back worked out of a jam. An infield popout was the second out of the inning, but a walk loaded the bases. Back was unfazed, inducing a grounder back to herself in the circle to limit the damage. "It don't faze her a bit," Bailey said. "It scares me to death. One hit scores two on these fields. I don't think she even notices them. She don't even pay attention when they get the leadoff on." Plymouth was able to get some of that back in the top of the sixth thanks again to Branham. With one out, Trine bunted herself on base before stealing second. Branham smacked her third hit of the day, this one a single to left field that wasn't knocked down and rolled under the fielder's glove all the way to the fence. Branham raced around the bases to score to make it 8-3. Back again worked in and out of another sticky situation in the sixth. Emalee Richards singled before Emalee Richards drew a four-pitch walk. A sacrifice bunt by Leah Lauderman moved the runners up with a chance to get some runs again. Back answered with consecutive strikeouts in the heart of the South Central lineup to again fire her team and fans up. "I thought our game plan worked well," Cunningham said. "I thought we were able to small ball. That's who we are. We don't really score much in bunches. We were able to get our bunts down and slaps down." There were no issues for Back in the seventh inning. She opened the frame with the last two of her 13 strikeouts. She then took a first-pitch grounder and fired it to first to seal the win. "She went through a little down in the middle of the year," Bailey said. "We lost a few games and she got tired. She's got I think 250 strikeouts this year, so she's thrown a bunch. Now playing every other day or every third day really helps her out." The Big Red tagged Ayers for some runs early to really take control. In the first, Bree Fellows was hit by a pitch, scoring on Back's double two batters later. In the third inning, Branham jacked her seventh home run of the season. It proved to be the only run Plymouth scored with less than two outs. "That ball she hit was a monster," Bailey said. "That was a big one." Ayers allowed eight runs on 10 hits. She didn't walk a batter and struck out nine. "If we get one hit early there, we're right in the thick of things instead of being down what we were," Cunningham said. "It seems like it has been our forte there. We seem to miss that big hit and we just weren't able to capitalize today." The Trojans still have one more game on Friday against league champion Monroeville. They will graduate five seniors in Kaylee Richards, Emalee Richards, Chaffee, Makayla Steele, and Ayers. "When you look back at their three years and they missed their freshman year to COVID, everything they've done, their name is all over it," Cunningham said. "The win record, three straight sectional championship game appearances, the first time in the district final. "I know it hasn't ended the way we want it to, but their name is stamped on what little trophies we do have." Plymouth 101 402 0 — 8 10 0 S. Central 000 030 0 — 3 10 2 WP: Makenzie Back; LP: Hannah Ayers 2B: (P) Back; (SC) Ayers; 3B: (P) Back; HR: (P) Jaylin Branham