Monroeville softball takes two at Norwalk in opener

NORWALK — She's got next. The Monroeville softball team graduated four key seniors from the only team in Huron County to ever reach a state championship game last season. That included Abbi Poths, arguably the best player in program history, who is now playing at NCAA Division II University of Findlay. But the Eagles again bring back a talented core, and one of their latest newcomers took center stage in Saturday's season-opening doubleheader at Norwalk. Sophomore Payton Weilnau finished 4-for-6 with two doubles, three RBIs, two walks and three runs scored at the plate. When the shortstop relieved starter Veanna Helmstetter in both games, she combined to throw 5 2/3 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and no runs on just one hit. The Eagles held off a pair of Norwalk rallies in both games to claim victories by scores of 10-5 and 5-2 at NHS. "Payton truly showed her toughness today," Monroeville coach Abe Helmstetter said. "We're fortunate and grateful to have players like her, but this was kind of her showcase today, so that was great to see. "Payton has played a lot of softball in her lifetime at a high level. That says a lot for your game knowledge, confidence and whole approach. I'm happy for her to start out this way." In Game 2, the Eagles (2-0) needed big plays in the field and at the plate to hold off the Truckers (0-2). Helmstetter and Weilnau each walked before Madi Reiber hit a one-out RBI single to left to score Helmstetter. Norwalk's Saige Viock got a big strikeout to end the inning. Reiber then led off the fourth inning with a double to left, and was held up at third base after Avery Rosser singled in the next at-bat. Neither runner could advance on a ground out, but then Reiber scored on a passed ball, and Rosser went to third. In the same at-bat, Taylor Scheid singled deep in the hole at second, which allowed Rosser to score for a 3-0 lead. But in the bottom of the frame, Norwalk answered. Sophia Ames singled to left before leadoff hitter Mya Prochnow reached on an error, which put runners at the corners with no outs. Prochnow then stole second to move into scoring position, and a ground out by Maddie Gamble brought in Ames for a 3-1 deficit. Lilly Farmer then grounded out to third, which allowed Prochnow to score and make it 3-2, but Helmstetter snagged a line drive by Kenadee Lesch near the circle to end the inning. The Eagles came right back in the top of the fifth. Helmstetter again walked — her fifth of the afternoon — then scored on an RBI double to left from Weilnau. Taryn Tyler walked, but was forced out at second when Reiber hit into a fielder's choice at short. But a misplay in center on a ball hit by Rosser allowed Reiber to come around and score for a 5-2 lead. Both teams went in order in the bottom of the fifth and top of the sixth, but then the Truckers were in position to capitalize. Audryn Ott and Ames each opened the bottom of the sixth with a pair of singles. That brought the tying run to the plate with the top of the order due up and no outs. Coach Helmstetter then made the switch to Weilnau in relief. The sophomore got a key strikeout, then on a ball Gamble hit on the nose to center, Helmstetter — who had just moved out to the position to start the inning — made the catch and was able to throw to second to get the Norwalk runner for an inning-ending double play. Weilnau struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to cap quite a performance in her debut as a key regular. "Having that one go against us was a momentum killer, but give credit to Monroeville for executing and getting the hits when needed," Norwalk coach Julie Schmidt said of the double play in the sixth. "They did what they had to do." Helmstetter went five innings and allowed the two unearned runs on four hits for the Game 2 win. She struck out two with no walks. Weilnau pitched the two scoreless, hitless innings with no walks. Eagles pull away in Game 1 In the first game, Helmstetter walked, Weilnau reached on an error, and Tyler singled in Helmstetter to get the season rolling quickly. Reiber then grounded out to short to score Weilnau and advance Tyler to third. Rosser then singled up the middle to score Tyler for a 3-0 lead. Norwalk's Lesch got out of the jam with any further damage with a ground out and strikeout. In the bottom of the second, Lesch singled and scored on a two-out, two-strike RBI double to left by Viock to make it 3-1. In the bottom of the fourth, the Truckers then put up a crooked number to take the lead. Gamble reached on an error and scored on an RBI single by Farmer after she stole second. Lesch then singled to put runners on first and second, and Sophia Ames put down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners for the first out. Farmer then scored on a passed ball to tie the game, and Lesch gave Norwalk a 4-3 lead when she also scored on a passed ball. Audryn Ott then delivered an RBI triple to score Viock. But in the top of the fifth, the Eagles took the lead right back with a big inning of their own. Lilly Clark singled, and Helmstetter walked to start the inning. Weilnau then singled to center to plate Clark, and Tyler followed with an RBI single that scored Helmstetter to tie the game at 5-5. After Weilnau advanced to third on a passed ball, Reiber grounded out to score her and retake the lead. Rosser followed with a line drive single to center to plate Tyler for a 7-5 lead. Rachel Fries then reached on an error, which set up Scheid's RBI single that scored Rosser for an 8-5 lead. Monroeville then added two runs in the top of the sixth. Helmstetter walked for a third time, then scored on a double by Weilnau in the next at bat. Weilnau advanced to third on the throw, and Tyler grounded out to score her for the game's final run. "We found ways," coach Helmstetter said. "We had some mistakes here and there today where at times we were overly aggressive, which I guess is also how you want them to make a mistake. Defensively, we had a little bit here or there that helped them and hurt us. "We will get better there. With our girls, we can't replace the four seniors we graduated. But we have a core group back and are trying to retool around them. Iron sharpens iron, and that's what we're trying to do." For Norwalk, Ott, Ames and Lesch had multiple hits over the two games. Lesch and Viock — two freshmen — combined to throw six innings each. Lesch allowed six earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and five walks, while Viock allowed four earned runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts and four walks. "We knew coming in they were a strong-hitting team," Schmidt said of the Eagles. "Being down three in the first, I was really proud of our team for battling back, staying competitive and even taking the lead there toward the middle of the game. We had a lot of things in play, including a couple uncharacteristic errors that we will clean up." Norwalk is at Margaretta on Saturday. The Truckers won the SBC Lake — the program's first league title ever — last season but are replacing six everyday players from that team. "A lot of nerves for our young players today, and I think you could see that at the plate and with a couple situations out there in the field," Schmidt said. "But they didn't let that compound, which I was proud of." Game 1Monroeville 300 052 0 — 10 12 1Norwalk 010 400 0 — 5 6 2WP: Weilnau; LP: Lesch2B: (M) Weilnau; (N) Viock; 3B: (N) Ott Game 2Monroeville 100 220 0 — 5 6 1Norwalk 000 200 0 — 2 4 1WP: Helmstetter; LP: Viock2B: (M) Reiber, Weilnau