Buckeye rolls past North Olmsted 16-0 behind Young’s perfect game and Michaels’ three-hit day
Buckeye (15-5, 9-1) broke the game open early and never let North Olmsted settle in Thursday, piling up a five-run first inning on the way to a 16-0 win at Buckeye High School. The biggest storyline came in the circle, where Lilly Young delivered the third perfect game of her career, striking out nine over five innings as the Bucks completed a dominant home performance on Youth Night.
The Bucks wasted no time taking control. In the bottom of the first, Faith Shaw brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly, Eleanor Shaw followed with an RBI double, Ava Piovarchy added another run-scoring double and Kelsey Morano lined a two-run triple to make it 5-0. Buckeye kept the pressure on in the second inning. Faith Shaw singled down the left-field line to drive in a run, Eleanor Shaw drew a bases-loaded walk and Piovarchy lifted a sacrifice fly as the lead grew to 8-0.
The decisive surge came in the third, when Buckeye scored six more runs on six hits to put the game out of reach. Sarah Michaels, who finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored, three RBIs and a stolen base, singled home a run. Faith Shaw then tripled in another, Eleanor Shaw doubled home a run and Cassy Minarchick capped the inning with a three-run triple. Michaels collected a hit in the second, third and fourth innings, setting the tone for a lineup that finished with 12 hits.
Buckeye also created offense with patience and speed. Maddie Wilhelm drew four walks, scored four runs and stole three bases, helping the Bucks total nine walks and six stolen bases. Faith Shaw drove in a team-high three runs while going 2-for-3, and both Eleanor Shaw and Piovarchy added multiple hits. The aggressive approach on the bases and steady contact throughout the order kept North Olmsted under constant pressure.
Young handled the rest. She did not allow a hit or a walk, and North Olmsted never put a runner aboard in the five-inning game. Behind her, Buckeye played clean defense without an error. Shaw led the way defensively with 10 chances as the Bucks backed Young with the kind of sure-handed fielding that preserved the perfect game in light rain showers and 39-degree conditions.
Before first pitch, Buckeye celebrated its youth softball players, then turned the evening into a showcase of the program’s present form. The Bucks improved their momentum with a complete effort at the plate, on the bases and in the field, and next travel to Saint Joseph Academy on Saturday.
