Seven years after capturing a state championship, the Louisville Leopards are headed back to the OHSAA Division III State Final Four.
Behind a dominant pitching performance from junior Katelynn Miller and an early two-run home run by junior Bailee Griffin, Louisville blanked Archbishop Hoban 8-0 Friday in a regional final at Firestone Stadium, earning a spot in the state semifinals.
The Leopards, who won the Division I state championship in 2019, are now hoping to repeat that feat with a talented roster that has spent years working toward another run at a title.
Louisville wasted little time setting the tone against Hoban.
After a scoreless first inning, Griffin launched a two-run home run to center field in the bottom of the second, giving the Leopards a 2-0 lead and igniting the Louisville offense.
“When I hit it, I honestly thought it was going to get caught,” Griffin said. “Then it went over the fence, and I was just so excited. I was sprinting around the bases and having fun.”
Louisville players celebrate after defeating Archbishop Hoban 8-0 in a Division III regional championship game Friday at Firestone Stadium in Akron. The win advances the Leopards to the OHSAA State Final Four.
The Leopards extended their advantage in the third inning when Miller and Addy Campbell each delivered RBI doubles. Louisville continued to add runs throughout the game, finishing with 11 hits while keeping pressure on Hoban’s defense.
Griffin finished with a home run and two RBIs, while Miller, Kaitlin Twinem and Anna Sirohman each collected two hits. Campbell added an RBI double as Louisville rolled to the convincing victory.
The early blast from Griffin was especially meaningful to head coach Emily Brislen, who praised the junior’s perseverance after overcoming a serious knee injury.
“Bailee has worked so hard, especially coming back from her ACL injury,” Brislen said. “To see her come up in that moment and hit that home run was huge. It gave us a lot of momentum, and after that, we never really looked back.”
While Louisville’s offense delivered, Miller was nearly untouchable in the circle.
The junior right-hander tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just five hits while striking out six and walking none. She needed only 86 pitches to navigate seven scoreless innings against a Hoban lineup that entered the regional final with plenty of offensive firepower.
Brislen said the shutout performance was the result of a team effort that has been building throughout the season.
“It’s hard to put into words how proud I am,” Brislen said. “These girls have been working toward this for a long time. Back in 2019, when we were at state, a lot of these players were little girls in the stands watching and dreaming about being here someday. Now they’re the ones doing it. It’s really a full-circle moment.”
The Leopards put an exclamation point on the victory with a defensive gem for the final out.
Despite holding an eight-run lead, Louisville remained aggressive until the final pitch, ending the game with a throw from center field to home plate to erase a scoring threat and preserve the shutout.
Brislen said the play perfectly reflected the mentality her team has embraced all season.
“That’s the kind of team they’ve been all year,” she said. “No matter what the score is, they’re going to keep competing and make every play count. The throw from center field and the play at the plate was just another example of their determination.”
For Griffin, the victory was about more than advancing to the state tournament.
“These girls are my best friends,” she said. “We’re all so close, and we support each other through everything. I think that’s a big reason why we’ve been successful. We all believe in each other.”
That chemistry, she said, has helped fuel Louisville’s postseason run and has the Leopards believing they can continue their season for another week.
“This win gives us a lot of positive energy,” Griffin said. “We’ve got a lot of momentum right now, and we’re excited to keep it going. We’re ready for the next challenge.”
The challenge ahead will be Mansfield Madison Comprehensive, which defeated Uniontown Lake 3-1 Friday to secure its own berth in the state semifinals.
Louisville and Mansfield Madison will meet at 10 a.m. Friday, June 5, at Firestone Stadium in Akron with a spot in the Division I state championship game on the line.
The Leopards enter the Final Four just two wins away from bringing another state title trophy back to Louisville and matching the championship accomplishment of the program’s celebrated 2019 squad. For a team that has dreamed of returning to this stage, that opportunity is now within reach.
