SETTING THE SCENE: The final full week of the regular season has arrived and Milford enters the stretch with an Eastern Cincinnati Conference-heavy week of action on tap as the Eagles pursue a fifth consecutive league championship. Milford, 12-7 overall and 6-2 in league action start the week just one-half game behind Kings for first, but with a chance to take the 2018 crown with a perfect week. The challenging slate this week features home-and-home games against Withrow, a doubleheader with Walnut Hills, a make-up contest at Anderson and a potential winner takes all showdown with Kings set for Friday.

THE UPCOMING DOCKET: A look at Milford’s schedule for the upcoming week:

• Monday, April 30 at Withrow, 5:00 p.m. & Wednesday, May 2 vs. Withrow, 5:00 p.m.
  • 2018 Record: 0-12, 0-10 ECC (NR Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
  • Top Hitter: Sophomore Jasia Bonner (.107/0 XBH/3 RBI/0 SB)
  • Top Pitcher: Senior Niya Canada (10.36 ERA/0-5 record)
  • Last Meeting: 2017; Milford 17, Withrow 0 & Milford 11, Withrow 0
• Tuesday, May 1 vs. Walnut Hills, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
  • 2018 Record: 3-13, 2-7 ECC (NR Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
  • Top Hitter: Senior Reiley Schmidt (.465/5 XBH/10 RBI/1 SB)
  • Top Pitcher: Sophomore Brianna Hoover (7.73 ERA/3-6 record)
  • Last Meeting: 2017; Milford 20, Walnut Hills 3, Milford 12, Walnut Hills 0 & Milford 3, Walnut Hills 2
• Thursday, May 3 at Anderson, 5:00 p.m.
  • 2018 Record: 12-5, 7-3 ECC (NR Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
  • Top Hitter: Sophomore Alli Madden (.487/7 XBH/17 RBI/11 SB)
  • Top Pitcher: Sophomore Stella Wulker (2.29 ERA/8-2 record)
  • Last Meeting: 2018; Milford 15, Anderson 7
• Friday, May 4 vs. Kings, 5:00 p.m.
  • 2018 Record: 11-5, 7-2 ECC (9^th Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
  • Top Hitter: Sophomore Kelsey Schmidt (.583/13 XBH/16 RBI/8 SB)
  • Top Pitcher: Senior Josie Adams (2.60 ERA/10-4 record)
  • Last Meeting: 2018; Kings 6, Milford 4

TOURNEY TALK: The Eagles have earned the No. 7 seed in the Cincinnati sectionals of the OHSAA Tournament, as voted on by the area coaches. The Eagles will open the tournament at home on Wednesday, May 9, hosting the winner of No. 9 West Clermont and No. 24 St. Ursula. Click here for Milford’s sectional bracket.

THANK YOU SENIORS: Senior Day is scheduled in conjunction with the Eagles’ May 2 home game against Withrow. That day, the 2018 Senior Class consisting of Kyrsten Brown, Katie Hall, Sydnee Harris and Lynn Varner will be honored for their contributions to Milford Softball.

A LOOK BACK: April 25 at Kings: Kings 6, Milford 5

GAME REWIND

Kings moved into first place by one-half game over Milford as the Knights knocked off the Eagles by a 6-4 score. More details on this game will be available later.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders (through games of April 21):

Batting Average: Lynn Varner (.519), Sydnee Harris (.476), Emily Allphin (.426)

Slugging Percentage: Emily Allphin/Katelyn Reynolds (.672), Lynn Varner (.630)

On Base Percentage: Lynn Varner (.597), Sydnee Harris (.577), Katelyn Reynolds (.466)

Runs Scored: Sydnee Harris (30), Lynn Varner (24), Morgan Whitaker (22)

Hits: Sydnee Harris (30), Lynn Varner (28), Emily Allphin (26)

RBI: Katelyn Reynolds (32), Lynn Varner (26), Emily Allphin (22)

Doubles: Emily Allphin (12), Katelyn Reynolds (11), Sydnee Harris (8)

Triples: Olivia Craycraft/Katelyn Reynolds (1)

Home Runs: Olivia Craycraft (2), Four Tied (1)

Walks: Sydnee Harris (14), Katelyn Reynolds (8), Three Tied (7)

Stolen Bases: Lynn Varner (7), Sydnee Harris (6), Four Tied (3)

Wins: Emily Allphin (7), Hillary Huffer (5)

Saves: None

ERA: Hillary Huffer (4.62), Emily Allphin (4.94), Sam Boothby (6.00)

Innings: Hillary Huffer (60.2), Emily Allphin (45.1), Sam Boothby (4.2)

Opponents Batting Average: Emily Allphin (.335), Hillary Huffer (.343), Sam Boothby (.370)

Strikeouts: Hillary Huffer (35), Emily Allphin (25), Sam Boothby (3)

INSIDE THE ECC: Four teams enter the final week of the regular season with a chance at the 2018 ECC Championship. Kings at 7-2 and Milford at 6-2 begin the final stretch at the top with Anderson and West Clermont just one game behind, each at 7-3. The schedule for ECC conference games this week includes: Monday-Milford at Withrow, Loveland at West Clermont, Walnut Hills at Kings at Turpin at Anderson; Tuesday-Walnut Hills at Milford (DH), Withrow at West Clermont (DH) and Kings at Anderson; Wednesday-Withrow at Milford, West Clermont at Loveland and Kings at Walnut Hills; Thursday-Milford at Anderson, Walnut Hills at Loveland and Kings at Turpin; Friday-Kings at Milford and Loveland at Anderson.

The schedule for ECC teams in the tournament includes: No. 7 Milford vs. winner of No. 9 West Clermont-No. 24 St. Ursula (May 9, 5:00 p.m. at Milford), No. 9 West Clermont vs. No. 24 St. Ursula (May 9, 5:00 p.m. at West Clermont), No. 11 Kings vs. winner of No. 12 Little Miami-No. 25 Wilmington (May 9, 5:00 p.m. at Kings), No. 15 Anderson vs. No. 18 Colerain (May 7, 5:00 p.m. at Anderson), No. 19 Turpin vs. No. 27 Seton (May 7, 5:00 p.m. at Turpin), No. 21 Loveland vs. No. 16 Edgewood (May 7, 5:00 p.m. at Edgewood), No. 29 Walnut Hills vs. No. 8 Oak Hills (May 7, 5:00 p.m. at Oak Hills) and No. 31 Withrow vs. No. 6 Western Brown (May 7, 5:00 p.m. at Western Brown).

POLL WATCH: Milford checks in seventh in the April 23 Division I area coaches’ poll, compiled by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Lebanon is the area’s No. 1 team this week, picking up 11 of the 16 first place votes cast. Mason earned four top nods and took second, with Lakota East and Ursuline completing the top-five. The ECC is also represented by West Clermont in eighth and Kings in ninth.The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon 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.