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When
the Lady Wave travel to Akron for a Friday morning match-up in the
state semi-finals, Greenville
will look to slide by its competition for
a state championship in D-II softball. CNO File Photo
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Seniors have
unfinished business
The road to the final four
By George Starks
NEXT! Circleville Logan Elm, 19-10.
GREENVILLE- The road to the final four is always the one less traveled.
Friday at 10 am, the Greenville Lady Wave will tee it up against
Circleville Logan Elm at Firestone Stadium in Akron.
Going in with a massive 28-4 record, the Wave and Jerrod Newland will
enter the state scene for the third time since 2007.
Getting there has been a long hard road for the Wave but in the last
game played in Mason, Greenville thumped Valley View 11-1.
Logan Elm is really no stranger to Greenville as the two teams met in
the pre-season for a scrimmage.
“That was a while back,” said Newland. “We were out of shape and they
were out of shape. Both teams have come a long way. They have played 29
games; we’ve got 32 under our belts. I think if we play them five
times, we win four. It’s the first year at the school for their coach
so it’s going to be an experience for him.”
In his tenth year at Greenville, Newland has been to state three times,
with one state title, three regional championships and multiple
district and sectional championships.
“It’s been a crazy first 10 years and I can only hope the next 10 is
crazier,” Newland admitted. “Three times to the state, I’d like to go
five or six more times. Right now, we are 3-1 in the regional finals
and that’s sweet.”
In 2010, Greenville lost in the state semi-finals 5-4 to the team that
eventually won state that year, Poland Seminary, 5-4.
Will this be 2007 or 2010 again?
“There are a lot of similarities between this team and the 2007 team,”
Newland admitted. “Our nine and one hitters were lefties, just like
this year in Brionna Greer and Paige Wolters. Our second place hitter
in 07 was Lisa Brinley at shortstop and this year it’s Kelly Martin,
our shortstop. Both resemble each other very much.
“Pitching isn’t exactly alike. In 2007, we had Abby Shell, a strikeout
pitcher and this year we have Ashley Hanes. Ashley allows the ball to
be put in play but she has a solid defense behind her and she relies on
them. She hits her spots, moves the ball around and keeps us in the
game all the time. She was all-Ohio last year and will have 50 wins in
the last two years. She will go down in the record books as one of the
best.
“I don’t like to compare teams but there are a lot of similarities
between the two teams. It’s scary, that’s for sure. We just want the
same results we had in 2007. It would be a great day for Darke County
and a great day For Greenville and Lady Wave softball.”
In 2010, Wolters, Martin and four other seniors made the trip to Akron
and Firestone Stadium as sophomores.
Now, they want to finish what was started two seasons ago.
“We are confident,” Newland said. “We led in that semi-final game and
lost the lead and the game, 5-4. The seniors were sophomore that year
and it was tough to stomach. We will be ready to roll, I promise you
that.”
Greenville will pull out Wednesday for Akron.
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