NORTH RIDGEVILLE — It was exciting, thrilling, dramatic, scary.
You name it, Columbia’s 3-1 upset win in nine innings over Hillsdale, the defending district champ and the fourth-ranked team in the state, in a Division III district semifinal Wednesday had a little something for everybody.
Most of all for Raiders coach Ken Richardson, it had a fantastic finish.
“What a sweet ending,” Richardson exclaimed after his pitcher, Jen Solanics, and catcher Emily Nagle pulled off a 1-2-3 game-ending double play with the bases loaded. “My catcher was so cool making that throw. Hillsdale is a great team with a great program.”
You can say that again. Not only were the Falcons the defending district champion, it was their 31st consecutive season making it to districts. Last year they made it to the state tournament for the 13th time and they have five state championships under their belt.
So this was no small feat for the Raiders, who improved to 23-2 and will play Wellington in today’s district final at 4:30 p.m. Wellington downed Independence 6-0 in Wednesday’s other semifinal.
The Raiders grabbed the lead with two runs in the top of the ninth on a single by Jenny Kus, a powerful triple by Christa Wodarczyk and a fielder’s choice.
But even though Solanics had blanked Hillsdale the previous four innings and in seven of eight, the Falcons created a serious threat in the bottom of the ninth.
Hillsdale (23-4) got a leadoff single by Alli Young and then loaded the bases on two consecutive fielding errors on slow grounders with one out.
That’s when Rhannon Eick bounced a 1-0 pitch back to Solanics, who fired home to force Young at the plate, while Nagle fired the ball to Kus at first base for the game-ending double play.
As for the errors that set up Hillsdale’s threat, Richardson was understanding.
“Those were on hustle plays,” he said. “Our girls just wanted to throw before they got the ball. Christa’s triple was a big hit. With a runner on third and just one out, I thought about a squeeze play but Christa is our top hitter — she’s batting over .500 — and I decided to let her hit away. “
Wodarczyk was 0-for-3 up to that point, having struck out her previous time at bat.
“I finally got a hold of it at the right time,” she said of her triple on a looping line drive down the first-base line. “It was an outside pitch and I timed it just right. This is so exciting. I’ve had big hits before but not when we really needed it in the last inning of an extra-inning game.”
Hillsdale coach Ray Dickerhoof, who has more than 300 coaching victories, couldn’t hide his disappointment in the tough loss.
“We came so close to not get the victory,” he said. “Bases loaded with just one out. But you’ve got to give the Columbia pitcher credit. She did a great job.”
Solanics allowed seven hits while walking none and striking out 10 in improving to 18-2.
Columbia scored its first run in the fourth when Kus tripled to right to lead off the inning and scored on Sarah Petras’ fielder’s choice.
It was the first baserunner for the Raiders off losing pitcher Erin Ebert (18-2), who gave up just four hits, while fanning 11 and walking none.

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