By Nicholas Huenefeld

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

SYLVANIA — Yesenia You energized the Perrysburg softball team on Monday, collecting a game-best four hits to lead the Yellow Jackets to a 15-4 victory over Northview in six innings on the road.

“I was just really happy with our offensive approach,” Perrysburg coach Ryan DeMars said. “I thought we did a really good job, for the most part, of staying back on the ball and making good barrel contact.

That’s what we talk about, just letting the ball get deep and making good barrel contact and being on time. I thought the girls did an excellent job of that today.”

With the win, Perrysburg (22-3) has registered 10 consecutive victories entering a 6 p.m. district semifinal against Northview at Clyde on Tuesday.

“If we all just keep hitting like we did today, we’ll take care of business (Tuesday),” You said.

The Yellow Jackets are 2-0 by a combined 26-4 score against the Wildcats this year after producing a 19-of-36 offensive attack that included home runs from Hayley Griggs and Jessica Miller, a triple from Ella Leonard and five triples, led by a game-best three from Maddie Von Sacken.

You went 4-for-4 with four runs scored and a walk. Miller and Maison Gerrard each knocked four runs in while Griggs was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs, a walk and three RBIs. Leonard and Morgan Hoverman also tallied multi-hit performances.

“I think we just came together well as a team,” You said. “After our first time through the lineup, we learned and got our timing down. We hit well.”

The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a three-run lead through one behind a two-run single from Gerrard and an RBI groundout from Miller, who later made it 6-0 with a two-out solo home run in the second inning.

After Northview picked up a run in the home half of the second, Perrysburg scored four more times in the third, highlighted by RBI hits from Von Sacken, Gerrard and Miller.

The Wildcats prevented a mercy rule with a putout at home in the top half of the fifth and a two-run home run in the home half, pulling within seven.

Leonard, however, tripled to right field to lead off the sixth, which spurred a five-run inning for Perrysburg.

Von Sacken went the distance in the circle for the Yellow Jackets, allowing seven hits, four runs (two earned) and a walk while striking out one.

“I thought Maddie did a good job overall,” DeMars said. “She’s a sophomore who has gotten a lot more pitching experience this year than she did last year. She got game experience last year, but she’s getting even more this year.

“I thought she did a good job overall and definitely did a good job of bouncing back after she gave up a hit or a run or something like that.”

During its 10-game winning streak, Perrysburg is outscoring opponents 121-27. They’ll look to continue that on Tuesday as postseason play begins – if the weather allows.

“We want to have more of the same,” DeMars said. “We want to come out strong, have a good statement to start out, make sure we’re running the offense the way that we’re supposed to run it, and taking care of what we need to take care of.”