Dublin Scioto High School, May 17, 2026: The Dublin Triad was supposed to be about community, neighborhood rivalry softball, and raising money for cancer research—a full day where the three schools could come together for a cause bigger than the scoreboard. Players wore special pink and tie-dyed uniforms, families filled the stands early, and despite thunderstorms delaying the start of the day, there was still excitement in the air once the games finally began.
Unfortunately, what should have been a celebration slowly unraveled into something much different.
Rain drifted in and out throughout the opening game between Scioto and Coffman, and what began as a competitive matchup turned into an exhausting marathon that overshadowed the purpose of the entire event.
And for a while, it was an incredible softball game.
Scioto struck first in the second inning when Avery Reynolds launched a home run to center before Gigi Rodriguez followed with an RBI double. Rodriguez would go on to finish with four hits, constantly sparking the Irish offense in a game that simply refused to end.
In the circle, Reynolds delivered one of the most impressive performances of the season. She threw 11 innings, struck out 19, and battled through constant pressure while Scioto tried desperately to preserve pitching for the rest of the Triad schedule.
But as innings piled up, so did the tension.
Starting in the eighth inning, Scioto’s coaches repeatedly tried to work toward ending the game in a draw so the event could stay on schedule and preserve the spirit of the day. Coffman refused, determined to keep playing despite the growing delays, the worsening weather, and the fact that Jerome had now spent hours simply waiting to play.
The atmosphere shifted. Fans grew frustrated. Tempers rose in the stands. At one point, umpires warned Coffman spectators about their language and behavior as the day spiraled further away from what it was intended to be.
Still, the game dragged on.
Coffman briefly took the lead in the 11th before Scioto answered back to tie it again when Gina Wasko was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. But by the 13th inning, the situation had become nearly impossible for the Irish.
With Reynolds exhausted (206 pitches thrown) after 11 innings and no remaining pitching options, Scioto turned to shortstop Lyla Magnussen—who hadn’t pitched competitively since youth softball—simply trying to survive and finish the game. Magnussen managed to hold Coffman scoreless through the 12th, a gutsy effort under impossible circumstances.
But eventually the floodgates opened.
Coffman erupted in the 13th inning, finally breaking the game apart and pulling away for an overshadowed and hollowed 14–5 victory after nearly the entire day had disappeared into one matchup.
By that point, the Triad itself had lost much of its energy. Donations slowed, fans left early, and Jerome had spent most of the afternoon waiting through delays. What was designed as a fun, meaningful community event instead became bogged down by embarrassing competitiveness and exhaustion.
And sadly, it leaves the future of the Triad uncertain unless certain changes are made moving forward.
Still, the Irish had one more game to play.
After Jerome fell to Coffman in the delayed second matchup, Scioto returned to the field for a shortened five-inning game against the Celtics. The rain had finally moved out, the weather turned warm again, and though the atmosphere was more subdued, the Irish still found enough energy for one final push.
Jerome struck first with an inside-the-park home run in the second inning, but Scioto answered immediately when Katy Joseph singled to center to tie the game.
An inning later, Reynolds delivered again—this time at the plate—ripping a double that gave the Irish the lead for good.
Then came another milestone.
Already carrying an incredible workload from the opening game, Reynolds struck out nine more hitters in the nightcap, surpassing 400 career strikeouts in the process, an impressive mark made even more remarkable considering she pitched only sparingly a season ago.
Behind Reynolds’ complete-game effort and another clean defensive performance, Scioto closed out a long, emotional day with a 2–1 victory over Jerome.
What began with thunder delays and ended under clearing skies became one of the strangest, longest, and most emotionally draining days of the season—a reminder of both how special high school softball can be, and how quickly the bigger picture can sometimes get lost.
Next up: The Irish return home Tuesday night to host Briggs in the opening round of tournament play as postseason softball officially begins. We hope to see all friends and family out there to support these determined ladies in their deep drive into the playoffs! Go Irish!
GAME ONE BOX SCORE:
GAME TWO BOX SCORE:
