Central Crossing High School, May 4, 2026: A warm but windy evening set the scene Monday at Central Crossing, with gusts swirling across the field and a strike zone that seemed to stretch just a little wider than usual. It turned into the kind of game where pitchers could attack—and both sides took full advantage.
From the start, it was clear runs would be hard to come by.
Central Crossing struck early, using a solo home run and a double in the first inning to grab a quick 2–0 lead. But Scioto didn’t let the moment snowball.
In the third, the Irish answered. Maria Wasko came through with a single to bring in a run, and pressure on the bases led to another scoring opportunity on a passed ball, tying the game and resetting the momentum.
From there, it became a battle of fireballers working to execute.
Avery Reynolds was sharp in the circle, leaning into the zone and letting the umpire’s wide calls work in her favor. She racked up 12 strikeouts over six innings, throwing 128 pitches while allowing just six hits and three walks. Even with traffic at times, she limited damage and kept Scioto within reach all night.
But in a game this tight, the smallest moments loom largest.
In the bottom of the sixth, with the score still tied, Central Crossing found its break. A defensive miscue allowed the go-ahead run to cross — the only unearned run of the night, but one that ultimately made the difference.
Scioto continued to battle at the plate, with Gina Wasko, Abbi Clark, and Maria Wasko each collecting hits, but couldn’t find the final timely swing against a strong outing from Central Crossing’s pitcher, who piled up strikeouts of her own.
Behind Reynolds, Scioto fought to the final out, but the late inning proved decisive.
In a tightly contested game where every pitch mattered, Scioto fell just short in a 3–2 loss to Central Crossing.
Next up: The Irish head to Olentangy on Wednesday, looking to bounce back and turn the page after another hard-fought battle.
We’ll see you at the game! GO IRISH!
