Photo by Kim North Martins Ferry’s Maddie Lucas pulls into second base with a double that drove in two runs Monday. However, the Purple Riders dropped a 9-5 decision in nine innings to Philo in the opening round of the Ohio Division II sectional tournament. Clark finished with three hits and a trio of RBI.

MARTINS FERRY — Shocked!

The thirteenth-seeded Philo Electrics did just that Monday to No. 10 Martins Ferry in Ohio Division II sectional softball tournament action high atop the Purple City.

The Purple Riders (18-5) led 5-3 entering the seventh inning, but couldn’t hold on in watching their season come to an abrupt end. A one-out error preceded a two-run, game-tying home run by Philo’s Caitlin Rose to deep center.

In the ninth, another fielding miscue turned costly as a run scored and, two batters later, winning pitcher Cassidy Himes slugged her second homer of the game — a three-run blast to right-center — for a 9-5 triumph.

Martins Ferry was playing without senior shortstop Danielle Lude who was shaken up in a car accident just hours before the game. The loss forced half-a-dozen position changes.

“The girls played their hearts out. We had a lot of girls playing out of position and they tried their best,” Martins Ferry head coach Jerry Magistro said of his young squad. We went nine innings with a team that plays a lot of good competition. They came up with a lot of great plays today.”

Philo took a 1-0 lead in the first when Rose raced home on a wild pitch with Himes at the plate and two out. The Electrics (12-11) made it 2-0 in the second as a throwing error allowed a run to score.

Martins Ferry drew even in the third on an RBI groundout by Giana Chirpas scored Sam Goddard and Abby Snedeker’s single to left-center knocked in MaKayla Cole. The Purple Riders went ahead, 4-2, an inning later when Maddie Lucas doubled off the fence in dead center to score Goddard and Cole.

Philo pulled to within 4-3 in the sixth on a solo shot by Himes, but the Purple Riders got that run back in the bottom of the inning as Lucas singled in courtesy runner Keegan Brandon, making it 5-3.

The Electrics flashed the leather on more than one occasion as right fielder Aleigha Busse made four web gem catches herself, while center fielder Kassydi Harris made one to end the game.

“I’ve never seen a team make that many outstanding catches in one game,” Magistro said while shaking his head. “Tip your cap to them.”

Lucas led the Purple Riders with two singles and a double that produced three runs. Snedeker had two singles, as did Cole.

Himes finished with a double and two home runs that accounted for five RBI. She also fanned two and walked one. Rose missed the cycle by a triple and drove in two. Bri Wolfe had a trio of one-base raps.

Lucas took the loss in relief of Snedeker.

“We’ve got a lot of good kids coming back. We need to work hard in the summer, the fall, whatever it takes,” Magistro noted. “I really think we can be a lot better next year.”

A season-ending loss is always tough, but for the four seniors — Lude, Kyndahl Richardson, Laci Zinn and Ella McFarland — it was the end of their careers.

“I can’t say enough about my seniors,” Magistro added. “They gave me everything they could give. They’re a good group of seniors. It’s always hard to say goodbye to your seniors … always because you spend a lot of time with them every day, sometimes more than with your own family. You develop a bond with them.”