WOLFHURST — The first four innings and the last three couldn’t have been more different for Shadyside on Wednesday in their Ohio Division IV sectional softball final against Bridgeport.

The Tigers put a runner at third in each of the first three frames, yet came away empty. But down the stretch, they exploded, scoring nine runs in racing past the Bulldogs, 9-1, at Irene Ehni Memorial Field.

“We told them to keep working and it would come,” Shadyside head coach Jillian Ongley said of her team’s scoring struggles. “It did.

“I think once the hitting started it was contagious. To be able to hit a pitcher like (Brooklyn Ruble) is a big positive for our team.”

Ruble — who finished with seven strikeouts and a walk in her prep finale — bent, but didn’t break, during the first four innings. But when Tigers batters went up against her for the third and fourth times over the final three innings, they collected eight hits and scored all of their runs in the process.

“She’s a tremendous pitcher and one of the best in the valley,” Ongley said of Ruble. “We got runners on base, but just couldn’t execute to get them in.”

That changed in the latter innings, as Shadyside did what it had to do at the plate and on the bases to claim another sectional crown and earn a spot in Monday’s district semifinal opposite top seed Strasburg, which topped River, 3-1. A site for that contest has yet to be determined by the East District.

“We knew they were going to come to play,” Bridgeport head coach Donnie Cash said. “Our bats weren’t where we needed them to be.

“We knew with Brooklyn that if we can get a couple of runs we’re in good shape. But we couldn’t get enough hits and runners on base to stay with them.”

Brooke Reager had a lot to do with that. She fired a two-hitter and fanned six and only allowed the Bulldogs one concerted opportunity to gain offensive traction. That came in the fourth inning, and there Bridgeport (14-7) was only able to get a hit and hit and score once.

“She pitched well until the end,” Ongley said of Reager, who struggling with a sore collarbone. “She’s pretty good. She can pitch. She’s a tough player and her defense made some pretty good plays behind her.”

Shadyside (16-8) sent eight players to the plate in the fourth, scoring four times. Tory Hendershot and Holly Butler — the cleanup and No. 5 hitters — both collected RBIs in the inning.

Then, an inning later, Destifanes and Maddie Davis knocked in runs as the Tigers stretched their lead to 6-1.

Destifanes was 4-for-4 from her leadoff perch with two runs scored and an RBI.

“She took (Kaitlyn) Weaver’s spot (this season) and that’s a big spot,” Ongley said of Destifanes. “We knew she could handle it and that she’d give it her all.”

Butler added another RBI in the seventh, part of a three-run frame that also included a sac fly from Mattie Reiman.

“The bottom like is they got up 4-1 and just kind of steamrolled from there,” Cash said.

Cash added, despite the loss, he was proud of what his team accomplished, not just this season, but the past few campaigns.

“These seniors won 50 games, an OVAC title (2018) and were OVAC runner-up (2019),” he said. “I’m proud of them. It’s gonna be hard to say goodbye to them.

“But give Shadyside credit. I wish them the best of luck against Strasburg.”

The last time the Tigers reached the district level was 2016, falling to Strasburg in the district final.

“The team has never hung its head,” Ongley said. “They’re the comeback kids. They don’t get down on themselves. They play until the end. I’m hoping they keep it up.”