Upper Arlington High School, May 22, 2025: In the first game of the Division II playoff, it was all Dublin from the first pitch to the final out Wednesday afternoon as the Irish steamrolled Northland 18-0 behind a masterclass performance from ace Alexis Richie.
The right-hander was untouchable in the circle, tossing a complete game no-hitter with 12 strikeouts and no walks over five dominant innings. Northland simply had no answers.
The Irish wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard. In the bottom of the first, Avery Reynolds laced a base hit to drive in three. Abbi Clark showed patience at the plate, drawing a bases-loaded walk to bring in another. A miscue from the Vikings defense allowed one more to cross before Katy Joseph and Gina Wasko each punched RBI singles through the infield. When the dust settled, Dublin had a commanding early lead.
The second inning brought more of the same. Reynolds ripped a triple to plate a run, and the Irish capitalized on another Northland error. Maria Wasko’s RBI single extended the gap, followed by a productive groundout from Lyla Magnussen that cleared the bases for three more. Dublin had a seven-run inning on just two hits, thanks to smart base running and timely contact.
Sophia Jackson added an exclamation point in the third, pulling a single down the left field line to tack on another run and make it 16-0. The Irish would add two more before it was over.
Northland’s Amy Weeks took the loss, allowing 18 runs—only six of them earned—on nine hits, while walking eight and striking out one over four innings.
Reynolds and Jackson each drove in two runs and notched a pair of hits. Wasko also collected two hits and led the defense with eight chances at her position. The Irish played error-free softball and showcased plate discipline, drawing eight walks in a complete team effort.
With Richie dealing and the offense firing on all cylinders, Dublin left no doubt. Next up for the Irish is the winner of the Pataskala Licking Height and Worthington Kilbourne game that takes place tonight!
Go Irish!
