by Gregg Meadows
Fifth-year Tri-Valley varsity softball head coach Brian Sterling has his Lady Dawgs primed for another successful season coming off last year’s solid 18-10 overall record which included a Muskingum Valley League runnerup record of 12-4 (John Glenn won the MVL title last season) and a post-season victory as well for the black-and-gold.
Last season, the Lady Dawgs – competing in the tough OHSAA D-I Central District – won an OHSAA D-I tournament game with their 3-2 win over visiting Chillicothe in Dresden at Kenny Wolford Park, before losing a heartbreaking 6-5 decision to host Olentangy Liberty to end their season.
And if the Lady Dawg’s first four games of the young season are any indication, the 2024 softball year at TVHS could be a good one.
Blessed with a solid core of returning talent at the plate, on the mound and in the field, the Lady Dawgs opened their season at home in Dresden on Saturday, March 23 with a split of their scheduled double header with visiting New Philadelphia at Kenny Wolford Park.
The visiting Lady Quakers defeated host Tri-Valley 10-6 in the first game of the twin-bill. Lady Dawg softball standout Paiton Murphy homered, singled and knocked in two runs to lead the offense, while senior standout Caity Journey doubled and singled with an RBI and Alivia Reffitt also had a double, a single and two RBIs in the first game loss for Tri-Valley. Murphy allowed 10 runs, six earned, on 14 hits with five strikeouts and five walks in the complete game loss.
In the second game of twin-bill, the Lady Dawgs rebounded, as Journey went 4-for-4 with a double and three runs scored, Murphy added three hits with an RBI, senior Kylan Brock doubled with an RBI and Reffitt singled with a pair of RBIs to highlight the home team winning effort. Ashlyn Davis picked up the mound win, striking out seven, scattering five hits and walking three.
On Thursday night, March 28 back at Wolford Park, Tri-Valley walloped an outmanned Coshocton Lady Redskin squad by a 31-2 count in five innings. Caity Journey collected five hits with two doubles and four RBIs and Kylan Brock had four hits with a home run and a double and knocked in five runs to pace the Lady Dawgs’ eye-popping 28-hit attack.
Alivia Reffitt clubbed two doubles among her four hits and knocked in three runs, while Cydnee Wolford had three hits and four RBIs, Ally Peterson knocked in three runs on three hits, Larsyn Holdworth added three hits, Paiton Murphy had two hits and an RBI, Katelyn Paxson had two hits and four RBIs and Tessa Green homered with three RBIs for the winning hosts. Paiton Murphy struck out seven and allowed four hits in three innings for the victory.
Courtney Snyder and Jaeli Tiedt each singled and scored, Kylee Raber singled with an RBI and Savannah Gambill took the loss for Coshocton.On Friday night, March 29 on the road at Licking Valley, the visiting Lady Dawgs took advantage of a big seven-run second inning to hang on for a hard-earned 13-7 win over the host Lady Panthers. Kylan Brock had three hits and three RBIs, Ally Peterson contributed three hits with two RBIs and two runs scored, Caity Journey hit a triple and two singles with a pair of runs scored, Paiton Murphy doubled and singled with three RBIs, Cydnee Wolford chipped in two singles and three runs scored and Alivia Reffitt tripled to pace the 16-hit Tri-Valley offense. Murphy also picked up the complete game win, giving up seven runs on 13 hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.
Here’s a quick look at the talent that returns for Lady Dawg softball for 2024: Key returning letter winners/contributors: Seniors Caity Journey (shortstop, Special Mention All-MVL, 2nd Team Eastern District) and Kylan Brock (first base); Juniors Paiton Murphy (pitcher-outfield, Special Mention All-MVL, 1st Team Eastern District), Cydnee Wolford (second base), Delaney Bell (third base), Katelyn Paxson (outfield); Sophomores: Ally Peterson (catcher/outfield, Special Mention All-MVL, Honorable Mention Eastern District).
Key newcomers this season for the Lady Dawgs include: Juniors Ashlyn Davis (pitcher) and Kaleigha Marshall (outfield); Sophomores Larsyn Holdsworth (outfield) and Tessa Green (outfield); and freshman Alivia Reffitt (catcher/outfield).
In Lady Dawg Junior Varsity action, Coach Jody Williams has his TV reserves off to a quick 2-0 start after wins over Indian Valley and Fairfield Union in their first two 2024 outings.
On Monday night, March 25 in Dresden at Kenny Wolford Park, the Tri-Valley JV’s hustled to a gritty 8-6 win over visiting Indian Valley, scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 6-6 tie then hang on for the hard-earned win over the Lady Braves.
Tri-Valley’s Natalie McCarty led the winners at the plate, going 2-4 with a double, RBI, and run scored, followed by Cameron Morrison who went 1-4 with a double, rbi, and run scored, Kelcie Hopper who contributed a hit, rbi, and run scored, Lauren Leas who chipped in a hit and run scored, Keah Jones with a double, rbi, and run scored, and Arriane Fitz and Rion Harmon with hits. Gracie Hutton and Rion Harmon teamed up for the mound decision for the winners.
On Thursday night, March 28 at Fairfield Union, the visiting Lady Dawgs junior varsity squad defeated the host Lady Falcons 21-3 and were led offensively by Gracie Hutton (two rbis and run scored) and Brooklyn Toler (two runs scored and an rbi) who both had two hits apiece, Felicity Grable with a double, Cameron Morrison with a hit, rbi and run scored, Kelce Hopper three runs scored, Lauren Leas two runs scored, and Julia Carpenter and Keah Jones who both had two rbis and two runs scored. Gracie Hutton and Rion Harmon again teamed up for the mound decision for the winners.
As is the case with all high school spring sports, Mother Nature has already intervened early in the season, as the Monday, April 1 scheduled game with defending MVL champion John Glenn in New Concord was wiped out due to area heavy rain and soggy fields, and the Tuesday, April 2 TV vs JG game in Dresden in jeopardy as well.
