AKRON—Riverside rallied for an 8-6 win over Mount Vernon in capturing the 2025 OHSAA Division II state championship.
The Beavers trailed 5-3 before a five-run fifth inning propelled them to the first state title in school history.
“I told them to stick it out, this is it, we’re not playing for tomorrow. We’re not playing to make it to the next round,” said Riverside head coach Bill Ross. “We were just playing for today. The bottom line was that there was nothing we could do. It doesn’t matter. Nothing mattered except what we did next, so the message to them was, ‘What’re we doing next?’. They’re an amazing group, and they earned everything they got today.”
The Yellow Jackets drew first blood with a Brooklyn Dovenbarger RBI single in the top of the first.
Riverside answered following Clara Granchi‘s leadoff double and Maddi Proud‘s sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning.
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Emma Wilhelm opened the second with a leadoff triple, and she scored on Granchi’s RBI single to center for a 2-1 Riverside lead.
Mount Vernon used Jocelyn Scarbury’s two-run double, Grace Bates’ RBI double, and Carly Kennedy’s RBI single to plate three runs in the third.
Trailing 5-2, Riverside’s Maddy Kevern pulled out the tape measure on a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the deficit down to two runs.
The Beavers flipped the switch in the fifth, taking the lead and never looking back.
Kevern continued her big day with an RBI single, Olivia Powell doubled home Kevern, and then Proud cleared the bases with a double to left center, giving the Beavers an 8-5 advantage.
“I was happy I got a second chance because a couple of innings before I had the same situation and popped out,” Proud said. “So, being able to get redemption is something that not everyone can do. I just needed to score my teammates, get some momentum, and it worked out in my favor.”
The Yellow Jackets added a run in the sixth, but Riverside’s workhorse pitcher Annaliese Davis worked out of a jam in the seventh to seal the Beavers’ state championship win.
“I was so happy when I saw the ball hit to (Olivia Powell),” Granchi said. “I saw Liv was scared to throw it, but then she made the out, and it was all good. I just knew we had to do what we do and get the final outs.”
Kevern paced the offense, going 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored. Granchi and Powell both went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Proud finished 1-for-3 with four RBI. Jeras, Davis, and Nica Dolce each added hits.
Every Riverside player who recorded an at-bat collected at least one hit.
Davis earned the win in the circle, going six innings and allowing four runs on 11 hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
For the lone seniors on the team, Davis and Emi Jeras, they closed out their careers as state champions.
“I can’t even tell you (what it means to go out on top),” Jeras said at a loss for words with a smile. “It was a blessing in itself to be able to play with this specific group of girls. This team is everything to me. I love every single one of them. Part of the goal was winning a state championship, but the main part was to play with these girls as long as I could. I’m going to have some great opportunities the next four years at the Division I level, it’s so exciting. What pushes me to play these next four years is just remembering all the amazing moments and the great experience I had in high school softball. Knowing I have the opportunity to keep going with softball and I have these girls behind my back to push me is such a blessing.”
Davis added, “Pretty much the same thing (as Emi). I’m so happy I got the opportunity to play with all of them, make a bond with all of them, and have a family. It’s a blessing.”
The Beavers finished the season 27-5 and on top of the OHSAA in Division II softball.
