photo by: Kim North

Photo by Kim North Bellaire’s Marissa Pacifico works to the plate against Monroe Central during Thursday night’s Ohio Division VI East co-sectional final on Rosie Hall Field in Woodsfield. The fifth-seeded Big Reds upset the No. 2 Seminoles, 16-6. She struck out two, walked one and scattered a dozen hits in a route-going performance.

WOODSFIELD – Dave Menendez has been waiting six years for his Bellaire softball team to earn a statement victory. He has to wait no longer.

Thursday afternoon on Rosie Hall Field, the fifth-seeded Big Reds (12-14) stunned No. 2 Monroe Central 16-6 in an Ohio Division VI East co-sectional final. The contest was rained out on Wednesday.

“”This feels really good … really good,” Menendez said after meeting with his team. “I wish we had been in Monroe’s situation at the end of the season, but we’re getting hot at the right time. We’re going to take advantage of it and run it as far as we can.

“This is the biggest win in my tenure here and my first year was the COVID season.”

Trailing 3-2 after two innings, Bellaire combined for 12 runs in the third and fourth innings to pull away for good. The lop-sided victory was the second for the Big Reds over the Seminoles (18-8) this season in Monroe County. They prevailed 11-4 on April 24.

“I really didn’t want to drive to Fort Frye (Beverly). The reason I chose to play in Monroe Central’s bracket is we’ve played them twice before,” he added. “We were familiar with them.”

Freshman Jaela Phillips entered the game with two home runs on the season. She doubled that total with a solo shot sparking a three-run third and a two-run bomb that highlighted a 9-run fourth.

“She hits the ball hard. She has been around .500 all season,” Menendez praised. “She cooled off to about .400 but everyone else got hot. She’s still having an amazing year for a freshman.

Phillips, who also added a single, was one of two Bellaire players with a trio of hits, the other being Emilee Menendez who singled three times and drove in two runs. Addison Kovach, who recently signed to continue her career at Wheeling University, added a single and two-run homer – her 10th of the campaign – while Ava Ault (single, double) and Jazzy Green (2 singles) also had multi-hit outings. Green finished with two RBI and Ault one. Ryah Givens had two runs batted in. Lily Zeller doubled in another and Calleigh Holt singled in a run.

“That’s the production you want as a coach from top to bottom,” Menendez said of the hit parade.

Brylee McFrederick singled, doubled twice and drove in a run for Monroe Central, which lost for the third straight game and has dropped five of its last nine.

“We lost traction after the OVAC Tournament and it seemed like we could never get going again,” Monroe Central head coach Paris Yoho said. “We played some stiff competition down the stretch, teams like Oak Glen and Meadowbrook. That sure didn’t help their confidence.

“I’ll take the blame. I tried to get us turned around, but it didn’t happen. The girls have the talent, I just didn’t get it out of them.”

Kamryn Winland shined offensively and defensively for the Seminoles. She singled, doubled and knocked in two runs, while she handled the hot corner like a pro with nine assists and two putouts. Olivia Earley had a trio of singles and an RBI, while Kennadi Jorris singled twice and Jadyn Miller doubled in a pair of runs.

Bellaire’s Marissa Pacifico, while not dominating, was effective inside the circle. The Bryant & Stratton signee went the distance, striking out two, walking one and scattering a dozen hits. She threw 98 pitches, of which 68 went for strikes.

“She does her job,” Menendez said of Pacifico. “The school in Virginia she signed with is getting a really good pitcher.”

With the cherished win, Bellaire returns to the Middle School diamond in St. Joe to host No. 7 Crooksville (11-14) on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in a district semifinal.

“We went and watched them play Shadyside last night (Wednesday),” the coach noted. “They’ve got a pretty good pitcher.”