Norwalk blasts Columbian 18-0 to clinch share of league title

TIFFIN — When a decade or two has passed, there will be time to look back and see who was first. Forever in history, it will be this year's version of the Norwalk softball team that was the first to win a league title in school history. For now it's just a share, but the Truckers pummeled 17 hits and blasted Tiffin Columbian 18-0 in Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division action Wednesday. "Freshman year me is crying right now," senior pitcher Haley Gockstetter said. "She would never have guessed this would happen. It's definitely been a goal of ours since the beginning. "It is really nice to finally see our hard work pay off." Norwalk improved to 12-6 overall and 8-1 in league play. The Truckers will get a chance to win the league championship outright Friday when they host Perkins (8-9, 6-3), a team Norwalk beat 5-2 back on April 17. "Kind of speechless," NHS coach Julie Schmidt said. "It's something special for the girls. They have earned every single second of this historic moment." The Truckers were good from the get-go. Mya Prochnow opened the game with a triple, scoring later on a wild pitch to stake Norwalk to a 1-0 lead. The Truckers added on in the second inning. Tyra Corbin singled, stole second, and after CJ Bennett reached on an error and stole second, a single by Emily Skeel scored a run. Emma Gebhardt grounded out, but it allowed Bennett to score. Prochnow then scorched a double to bring in Skeel and push it to 4-0. "We came in wanting to leave no doubt where we stand and where we want to go," Schmidt said. "We have big goals. This is our first big goal. We have more." The early lead would have been more than enough for Gockstetter in the circle, but Norwalk blew open the game in the third inning with 13 runs. The Truckers got the first 14 girls on base without an out, chasing Columbian (2-16, 0-7) starting pitcher Addie Smith. Corbin tallied a RBI double before Bennett and Gebhardt added run-scoring singles. Prochnow reached on a bunt single to load the bases for Callie Helton, who ripped a two-run single. Audryn Ott also laced a two-run single in the inning. Bennett was walked with the bases loaded to bring in a run while Skeel was hit by a pitch to also tally a run. Skeel got on base all four times she batted, scoring twice. It all came out of the No. 8 spot for the Truckers. "We have told these girls with our bats and confidence we have in them, every spot is a dangerous spot in our lineup," Schmidt said. "I truly believe that. It's all the way through. One through nine. Whether it's 8, 7 or 2, I believe they are able to do big things." Gockstetter did the rest of the work for Norwalk. She allowed just two infield singles to the Tornadoes. She struck out six, needing just 64 pitches to breeze through the win. "She's a good pitcher," Columbian coach Erica Cok said. "She's grown a lot in the four years. I'm happy for her. She's pitching really well. She comes with a strike almost every time so I told the girls to be aggressive." Prochnow finished 4 for 4 with two runs batted in and two runs scored. Helton tallied three RBI and two singles. Gockstetter singled twice, Ott added three singles and Bennett drove in two runs and scored three times. "They are such a special group of girls," Schmidt said. "They have really led in a way I haven't seen in a long time. They're leading by their actions and by the work ethic they have. They're keeping the energy happy." After the game, the Truckers celebrated by singing happy birthday to McKenna Ames. Schmidt's last message to her girls was to not have a letdown. Norwalk faces Mansfield Madison on Thursday before hosting Perkins with the postseason looming next week. Besides, who really wants to share something like a league championship? "Friday is Senior Night, so emotions will be riding high," Schmidt said. "I'm really glad to have this section of the goal under our belts so we can play loose. I think that's a big piece of our success — not letting the nerves get to us." Norwalk 13(13) 01 — 18 17 2Columbian 000 00 — 0 2 4WP: Gockstetter. LP: Smith. 2B: (N) Prochnow 2, Corbin. 3B: Prochnow