By Nicholas Huenefeld

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

BLOOMDALE — The Elmwood softball team capped off an undefeated conference season Wednesday on Senior Night with a 19-1 win over Pandora-Gilboa.

The Royals (10-11, 8-0) breezed through the Blanchard Valley Conference, punctuating their BVC title with an 11-hit attack, led by a 3-for-4 performance from senior Mariela Garcia that included two runs and six RBIs.

“This was huge,” Garcia said. “Elmwood hasn’t won much in the BVC so far, but the softball team coming out and making a name for our program is huge.

“It’s wholesome here. We’re all here for each other. It’s truly a family here at Elmwood, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the past four years.”

One of those wholesome moments came at the beginning of the game as fellow senior Kate Keiffer, who tore her ACL during basketball season, started at shortstop and saw one pitch before being removed to an ovation.

“I was glad she got to have that moment for herself tonight,” Elmwood coach Emily Reynolds said. “For them to be able to come out on their senior night and not only play well, play at home, win and win the BVC outright, it’s just really special. “

Three of the seniors are headed to college to play softball as Keiffer will play at Findlay, Garcia will head to Ohio Christian and Tianna Galbraith will compete for Bluffton.

Among the senior class, which also includes Mary Deitrich, three have been four-year varsity players and two of them have started all four years.

“We’re lucky to have those seniors set the bar high for our program, and I think that’s what they did tonight,” Reynolds said.

The Royals scored five in the first before putting the game away with 12 in the third. They added two more in the fourth.

Leadoff hitter Trinity Sander also racked up a three-hit performance, scoring a game-best four runs, driving in three and walking twice. Allyie Reynolds and Leah Allison added multi-hit performances, while Natalie Blake scored twice and drove in two. Dakota Rader-King and Jodicee Garner each added a pair of runs.

“They showed up ready to go,” head coach Emily Reynolds said. “When it’s against a team that’s had their fair share of struggles this year, you worry about a team like ours coming ready to play. With everything on the line and it being senior night, they came out pumped up ready to go.”

The Royals capped off an undefeated slate in their first year in the BVC despite a 2-11 non-league record.

“We had a really tough non-league schedule,” Reynolds said. “Playing in the NBC in the past really prepared us for this year. Playing teams just once instead of twice was new for us.

“Coming in and being able to win it outright and go 8-0 in the BVC is big. Our goal at the beginning of the year is always to hang a banner. Our girls set that goal at the beginning of the year, and they accomplished that. So, we’re very happy.”

Addi Hoffman got the win in the circle for Elmwood, posting four hitless innings while walking one and striking out three. Reynolds pitched the final inning, striking out one.

“Going into a new league, you don’t really know what the teams are like, so we kept an open mind going in,” Garcia said. “We stayed aggressive and knew that every game meant something.”

Elmwood was originally scheduled to have their senior night against Gibsonburg on Tuesday, but with bad weather in the area, it was postponed and the game against Pandora-Gilboa got moved, so everything worked out.

“When we had it changed, it became even bigger because it wasn’t just their last game on this field, it was for a BVC championship,” Reynolds said.