BOWLING GREEN — There was good news and there was bad news.
The bad news was the Madison Rams were eliminated from the Division I tournament as they took runner-up honors after a 7-0 loss to Anthony Wayne on Friday at Bowling Green State University.
The good news is there is still a very meaningful softball game yet to be played on Monday at home against Lexington where a Madison win would force the two teams to share the Ohio Cardinal Conference championship.
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So, while the tears flowed and hearts broke after seeing their magical tournament run end in the Division I district championship game, the Rams can still add another piece of hardware on Monday.
"I told the kids after the game that there is only one team in the area still playing and they aren't playing Division I," Madison coach Tim Niswander said after the loss to Anthony Wayne on Friday. "We just lost to the13th-ranked team in the country who has two kids who throw 65-plus and they are both really good."
Madison (20-6) saw six runners reach base and all were left stranded. Izzy Wamsley and Emily Nolan had the lone hits of the day while Wamsley drew two walks and Kyleigh Reiter and Emma Stankovoch drew one apiece. The Rams struck out eight times against two pitchers headed for Division I college softball.
"We asked the kids to stay off the rise ball and attack the other stuff and that is what they did," Niswander said. "For the most part, we didn't chase rise balls. They executed what we wanted them to do but bottom line is, Anthony Wayne is really good."
AW scored two runs in the second an five in the fourth as a couple of errors led to scoring opportunities. Layla Azmoun pitched well in the final tournament game of her career allowing seven runs, five earned, on eight hits with nine strikeouts.
Madison was listed as the second-smallest school in all of Division I with 330 and found itself as one of the final 32 Division I teams standing. All after losing some incredible talent from last year's team. As he was holding the district runner-up trophy, it was hard for Niswander to not feel some sense of satisfaction.
"We lost three of the best offensive players in the program's history last year," Niswander said. "The single-season home run record holder, the career record holder and one who went on to start for her college team from Day 1. Those kids are hard to replace. When we were sitting at 5-5, I didn't think we would find a way to replace them and we roll off 15 straight wins, get to the district finals and on Monday, we have a chance to play for a conference championship. I would say it has been a satisfying season."
Now, the Rams have one last game left on Monday at home against Lexington, which has already clinched at least a share of the OCC title for the first time since 2009. Madison is looking for back-to-back league championships.
"Our goal at the beginning of every year is to compete for a conference and district championship," Niswander said. "We just played in a district championship and we will play for a conference title next week. The goal we established as our baseline has been met this year. We just want to win it Monday."
But preparing for a big game after an emotional loss will be a big challenge for the Rams.
"We will practice Sunday so we have a practice in the day before and they will be over it by then," Niswander said. "Our seniors' last day of school was today so they will be over it by Sunday and be ready for Monday. The reality is, when we show up and Lexington gets off the bus, I won't have to say anything. They will be ready to go."
On Friday, Liv Ash, Ashley Markley, Nolan, Azmoun, Kendyll Kershner, Reiter and Jillian Conard all played in the final tournament game of their careers and after Monday will leave the program in great shape.
"I get close to my seniors every year and each time it is for different reasons," Niswander said. "This group started coming into our gym in fifth grade for pitching clinics. Emily Nolan was a fifth-grade pitcher and I have known her since she was in fifth grade. Layla Azmoun was my height in fifth grade so I have known these kids for a long time. If they have a study hall, they want to be an aid in my classroom. They always come in and we talk about life, not softball. Kyleigh Reiter has claimed herself as the fourth Niswander daughter and I do not have a problem with that. I'll take her tomorrow. We are really tight and this is the hardest part of the year.
"I'm going to miss them the most because they're just great kids."
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