OXFORD, Ohio — The Western Brown High School softball team is a regional champion for the first time in program history.
"This is such an awesome time for our softball program, the school and community," Western Brown athletic director Tim Cook said Friday night.
Western Brown defeated Greenville 6-2 in a Division III regional final Friday night at Miami University.
“We are on such a high,” Western Brown coach Blaine Wallace said. “This is my 27th year. We are sitting here stunned. I will wake up tomorrow and check the score just to make sure.”
Western Brown (25-3) advances to play in a state semifinal at 10 a.m. June 6 at Firestone Stadium in Akron. Western Brown, winners of Region 9, plays either Bloom-Carroll or Dover. The Region 10 final is noon Saturday at Pickerington Central.
The Division III state final is scheduled for 8 p.m. June 7 at Firestone Stadium.
Western Brown, winners of six consecutive games, played an “almost perfect game” defensively on Friday, according to Wallace. The game matched two No. 1 seeds in their respective districts.
With just one senior, Western Brown has persevered after some uncertainty in preseason scrimmages. Wallace made a couple of lineup changes, and it proved to be a difference for the team.
“We’re so excited,” Wallace said. “If you told me in March this (regional title) would happen we wouldn’t believe you.”
Wallace said the chemistry of the team has been strong all season.
“This group – they’re great to coach,” Wallace said. “They get along so well, which is so important in high school sports.”
The most recent time Western Brown’s softball program was in the regional prior to this week was in 2021 when it was a Division I program, according to Cook.
"It's the first time the softball team has won a regional title since they started fast pitch in 1985," Cook said. "We have been to the regionals a few times but never won it. This is a memory that will last a lifetime for these girls and coaches. Super proud of them!"
