SETTING THE SCENE: For the second straight season, the Milford High School softball team will take to the field with an OHSAA District Championship at stake when the Eagles battle Lakota East on Saturday at Hamilton High School. First pitch is set for Noon. The seventh-seeded Eagles have won back-to-back one-run games in the tournament, first in walk-off fashion against conference foe West Clermont and then in a 2-1 upset of No. 4 Ursuline. Milford brings a 20-8 record into the contest. The Thunderhawks (20-4) shutout Winton Woods in their opener, before slipping by Mount Notre Dame in eight innings and run-ruling Kings. A Milford victory would produce the program’s first district championship since 2004.

THE UPCOMING DOCKET: A look at Milford’s upcoming OHSAA Tournament opponent:

• Saturday, May 19 vs. Lakota East {at Hamilton HS}, Noon
  • 2018 Record: 20-4, 14-4 GMC (4^th Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
  • Top Hitter: Sophomore Cassidy Hudson (.526/12 XBH/22 RBI/2 SB)
  • Top Pitcher: Junior Sydney Larson (2.11 ERA/11-3 record)
  • Last Meeting: 2013; Lakota East 9, Milford 2 & Milford 3, Lakota East 0

A LOOK BACK: May 11 at Western Brown: Milford 4, Western Brown 3

GAME REWIND

The Eagles recorded only four hits, but took advantage of three Western Brown errors to pick up a quality, 4-3 win over a strong Western Brown team. The match-up featured a pair of teams looking to stay sharp between OHSAA Tournament games and started with the Broncos getting a run in the first. The Eagles answered back with two in the third and two more in the fifth on an Emily Allphin two-run single. Western Brown clawed back with a two-run homer in its half of the fifth, but left runners on in each of its last at-bats.

RECORDS & PITCHING DECISIONS

Milford: 19-8; Western Brown: 23-3

WP: Hillary Huffer; LP: Sydni Barnes

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Emily Allphin 2 RBI

Western Brown

Sydni Barnes 2B

Liz Hadley HR, 2 RBI

May 14 at Sycamore: Milford 2, Ursuline 1

Milford sophomore hurler Hillary Huffer allowed just five hits and overcame a first inning run by No. 4 Ursuline to lead the seventh-seeded Eagles to a 2-1 victory and into the OHSAA District Finals on Saturday. After allowing a lead-off walk and later a run-scoring double, Huffer settled right in, retiring seven straight at one point and six in a row at another. Milford plated both of its runs in the third in support of Huffer’s gem.

The Eagles will square off with third-seeded Lakota East in the District Finals. The time and location of the game will be announced soon.

GAME REWIND

The Lions put early pressure on Huffer and the Eagles as Sarah Mehrle walked to lead off the bottom of the first, then stole second. With two outs, UA Jane Kronenberger doubled home Mehrle and the Lions were up by a 1-0 score.

Milford put together its first serious threat of the day in the third, ultimately scoring its only two runs of the day in the frame. Huffer helped herself by drawing a lead-off walk and Kyrsten Brown followed by bunting courtesy runner Lilly Copp into scoring position. One out later, Lynn Varner tied the game with a single, setting the stage for a Katelyn Reynolds single. The Eagles then took a gamble which paid off big as a double steal by Varner and Reynolds brought home the second Milford run.

In the circle, Huffer was in complete control, enjoying perfect second and third innings, then retiring six straight after a fifth inning lead-off single. Ursuline would get runners on first in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings but could do no further damage against Huffer, allowing Milford to advance to its second straight district championship game and third in the last four years.

RECORDS & PITCHING DECISIONS

Milford: 20-8; Ursuline: 18-4

WP: Hillary Huffer; LP: Mary Newton

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Hillary Huffer 7 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 3 SO

Sydnee Harris 2B

Lynn Varner 1-2, RBI, SB

Ursuline

Jane Kronenberger 2B

Mary Newton 7 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 5 SO

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders:

Batting Average: Lynn Varner (.476), Sydnee Harris (.457), Emily Allphin (.441)

Slugging Percentage: Katelyn Reynolds (.660), Emily Allphin (.624), Morgan Whitaker (.612)

On Base Percentage: Sydnee Harris (.564), Lynn Varner (.545), Morgan Whitaker (.495)

Runs Scored: Sydnee Harris (41), Lynn Varner (35), Katelyn Reynolds/Morgan Whitaker (31)

Hits: Sydnee Harris (43), Emily Allphin/Katelyn Reynolds (41)

RBI: Katelyn Reynolds (44), Emily Allphin/Lynn Varner (30)

Doubles: Katelyn Reynolds (18), Emily Allphin (14), Morgan Whitaker (11)

Triples: Sam Boothby/Olivia Craycraft/Katelyn Reynolds (1)

Home Runs: Olivia Craycraft/Morgan Whitaker (2), Three Tied (1)

Walks: Sydnee Harris (22), Oliva Craycraft (11), Three tied (9)

Stolen Bases: Lynn Varner (14), Olivia Craycraft (7), Sydnee Harris (6)

Wins: Hillary Huffer (11), Emily Allphin (9)

Saves: None

ERA: Hillary Huffer (3.23), Emily Allphin (4.51), Sam Boothby (6.00)

Innings: Hillary Huffer (112.2), Emily Allphin (54.1), Sam Boothby (4.2)

Opponents Batting Average: Hillary Huffer (.297), Emily Allphin (.330), Sam Boothby (.370)

Strikeouts: Hillary Huffer (72), Emily Allphin (40), Sam Boothby (3)

INSIDE THE ECC: A wild final week that began with four teams in contention for the league title ended with Milford hoisting the hardware for the fifth straight year, but this time sharing the title with West Clermont. With just one day of games to play, the Eagles and Wolves, along with Anderson and Kings all were in play for a chance to win the league. After Anderson knocked off Milford, the Redskins were upset by Loveland, but the Eagles bested Kings to set-up the shared title with West Clermont.

POLL WATCH: Milford came in tied for eighth in the final Cincinnati Enquirer area Division I coaches’ poll, sharing the position with Kings. Mason was crowned the poll champion with five place votes. Lebanon took second despite earning eight top nods. Lakota West, Lakota East and Ursuline completed the top-five. The ECC was also represented by West Clermont in 10^th and Anderson among others receiving votes. The final coaches’ poll can be viewed at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.

COLLEGE BOUND EAGLE: Milford Class of 2018 member Sydnee Harris recently announced that she has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete next season at Division I Youngstown State University.