Franklin's softball team put on a power-hitting clinic Thursday, crushing five home runs in a 13-2 victory over Chaminade Julienne in the opening round of the Division III tournament. The Wildcats didn't just win—they made history in the process.
Adrian Allen delivered the knockout blow with a grand slam in the fifth inning, ending the game early and etching her name in the Franklin record books. Allen now holds the school's career home run and RBI records, a remarkable achievement that speaks to her dominance at the plate.
She wasn't alone in the long-ball parade. Heidi Brooks, Peyton Everitt, Kydee Shults, and Meredith Zehring all went deep, with Zehring also celebrating her 100th career hit. It was the second straight season Franklin has eliminated CJ in the opening round, improving to 15-13 and advancing to face Sidney on Tuesday.
On the baseball diamond, several area teams made noise. Northmont continued its hot streak, winning seven of its last eight games behind Jayden Snyder's three RBIs and Chase Fuduloff's two-hit, two-RBI performance in a 12-2 victory over Wayne.
Badin remained dominant, improving to 20-3 with a 4-1 win over Springboro. Austin Vangen drove in two runs, Carson Lowe earned the win in relief, and the Rams extended their win streak to 16 games. They'll take that momentum to Great American Ball Park on Saturday for a showdown with Centerville.
Carroll celebrated senior night in style, topping Xenia 2-0 behind a masterful performance from Aaron McGlothen, who struck out 12 in a complete-game shutout. Joseph Weston provided all the offense with a two-run double.
Chaminade Julienne's Isaac Sullivan was nearly unhittable, fanning 15 batters in a complete-game shutout of Piqua, while Harris Vogelgesang doubled and drove in two runs in the 4-0 win.
Butler bounced back in a big way, hammering Greenville 17-0. Jackson Schilling and Carson Heis each collected three hits and five RBIs as the Aviators improved to 21-4.
Other notable performances included Carson Cresong earning MVP honors after striking out 10 in Middletown Madison's 21-5 win over Purcell Marian in a Reds Futures High School Showcase game, and Arcanum's Regan Christ, who struck out 12 over seven innings while adding three hits and two runs scored in a 5-2 win over Marion Local.