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2026 Softball Tournament Coverage

2026 State Tournament Information

2026 Softball State Tournament Schedule

All games at Firestone Stadium, Akron - 1575 Firestone Pkwy, Akron, OH 44301

All games live on the NFHS Network.

All games live on the OHSAA Radio Network.

2026 OHSAA Softball State Tournament Pairings

Home team listed first

All games at Firestone Stadium, Akron

Rankings from final OHSFCA state poll

Wednesday, June 3

Division I Semifinal #1 (10 a.m.): Lancaster def. No. 1 Austintown-Fitch, 4-0 | Box score

Division I Semifinal #2 (12:30 p.m.): No. 2 Hilliard Bradley def. No.3 Centerville, 12-4 | Box score

Division VI Semifinal #1 (3 p.m.): West Jefferson def. No. 6 Van Wert Lincolnview, 8-0 | Box score

Division VI Semifinal #2 (5:30 p.m.): No. 5 Danville def. Dalton, 11-4 | Box score

Thursday, June 4

Division VII Semifinal #1 (10 a.m.): Cortland Maplewood def. No. 6 South Charleston Southeastern, 4-0 |Box score

Division VII Semifinal #2 (12:30 p.m.): No. 3 Portsmouth Notre Dame def. No. 2 Sycamore Mohawk, 9-2 |Box score

Division I Championship (3 p.m.): No. 2 Hilliard Bradley def. Lancaster, 7-5 | Box score

Division VI Championship (5:30 p.m.): No. 5 Danville def. West Jefferson, 2-0 | Box score

Friday, June 5

Division III Semifinal #1 (10 a.m.): Mansfield Madison Comprehensive vs. Louisville | Box score

Division III Semifinal #2 (12:30 p.m.): No. 5 Carroll Bloom-Carroll def. No. 2 Greenville, 2-1 | Box score

Division IV Semifinal #1 (3 p.m.): No. 1 Springfield Kenton Ridge def. Mogadore Field, 5-3 |Box score

Division IV Semifinal #2 (5:30 p.m.): No. 2 Newark Licking Valley def. No. 3 Bryan, 2-1|Box score

Division VII Championship (8 p.m.): No. 3 Portsmouth Notre Dame def. Courtland Maplewood, 3-0 | Box score

Saturday, June 6

Division V Semifinal #1 (10 a.m.): No. 4 Casstown Miami East vs. No. 2 Wheelersburg | Box score

Division V Semifinal #2 (12:30 p.m.): No. 1 Baltimore Liberty-Union def. No. 10 Canfield South Range, 8-1 | Box score

Division II Semifinal #1 (3 p.m.): No. 7 Kings Mills Kings def. No. 3 Painesville Riverside, 7-1 | Box score

Division II Semifinal #2 (5:30 p.m.): No. 6 Westerville Central def. No. 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit | Box score

Division III Championship (8 p.m.): No. 5 Carroll Bloom-Carroll def. Louisville, 10-1| Box score

Sunday, June 7

Division IV Championship (11 a.m.): No. 1 Springfield Kenton Ridge def. No. 2 Newark Licking Valley, 7-6 | Box score

Division V Championship (1:30 p.m.): No. 2 Wheelersburg def. No.1 Baltimore Liberty-Union, 7-6 | Box score

Division II Championship (4 p.m.): No. 7 Kings Mills Kings def. No. 6 Westerville Central, 12-4| Box score

State Championship Recaps

Division II Championship: Kings Mills Kings 12, Westerville Central 4

Kings Mills Kings Captures First Softball State Title with a 28-1 Record

AKRON, Ohio - With seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Kings Mills Kings defeated Westerville Central 12-4 to win its first state softball championship. The Division II title game was held Sunday, June 7, 2026, at Firestone Stadium in Akron.

This is Kings first time in the state semifinal and final games for softball. Also, this is the first softball final for Westerville Central with one softball semifinal game in 2019.

Senior Neely McElhaney was the winning pitcher for Kings. She tossed a complete game, notching 11 strikeouts while giving up three earned runs.

Kings was led by senior Julia Lowry, who was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a home run in the bottom of the third inning. In the bottom of the second inning, senior Leah Mitchener homered to deep center field with senior Madi Titler scoring from first base. The Knights led 4-0 heading into the third inning.

Westerville Central tied the game in the top of the third inning with runs from sophomore Christelle Crosier, junior Samantha Luke, and seniors Hannah Pullins and Jess Hickok. Luke also hit a double in the fourth inning.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Kings scored seven runs. With runs from Lowry and Titler, and contributions from Mitchener, junior Abby McKinney, senior Grace Parkhurst, and sophomores Emma Myles and Olivia Smith.

Division VI

Danville Tops West Jefferson in Nine Innings for Second Championship

AKRON, Ohio – In a game that was scoreless through eight innings, fifth-ranked Danville scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning and held on to top West Jefferson, 2-0, Thursday night at Firestone Stadium in the Division VI state championship game.

Danville senior Addyson Bocock and West Jefferson junior Jenna Mannon both pitched all nine innings for their respective teams, combining to strikeout 25 batters, walk only three, scatter eight base hits and throw 236 pitches.

In the top of the ninth inning, Danville freshman Morgan Hinkins hit a triple to bring home senior Ruby Bartok, who had been hit by a pitch. Sophomore Elizabeth John then singled to bring home Hinkins, who was the lone player in the game two base hits.

Danville (25-5) was in the state tournament for the third time and brings home a second title to go along with the Blue Devils’ first in 2008, which marked the OHSAA’s first softball state tournament at Firestone Stadium. Danville was also the state runner-up in 2017.

West Jefferson (25-6) was making its second state tournament appearance (2019).

Bocock finished with 15 strikeouts and walked only one batter. Mannon struck out 10 and walked two. Both pitchers gave up only four base hits.

Division VII

Portsmouth Notre Dame Wins Back-to-Back Championships

AKRON, Ohio – Defending state champion Portsmouth Notre Dame won its second-consecutive Division VII softball state championship with a 3-0 win over Cortland Maplewood Friday night at Firestone Stadium.

A year ago, Notre Dame made school history with its first trip to the softball state tournament and took home the state title. This year, the Lady Titans entered the tournament ranked No. 3 in the final coaches poll and finishes 2026 with back-to-back titles. Notre Dame beat No. 2 Sycamore Mohawk in the semifinals, 9-2.

Maplewood finishes 28-3 and was making its second trip to the state tournament (2005) and played in a state championship game for the first time in school history in any sport. The Rockets, who were unranked in the final state coaches poll, beat No. 6 South Charleston Southeastern 4-0 in the semifinals.

Junior Ava Rush pitched a two-hit shutout for Notre Dame, striking out nine and walking none. Junior Jaysa Bryant notched three base hits and a run scored. She singled to lead off the top of the first inning, stole second and scored on a single by senior Lindsey Schaefer, who then scored on a Maplewood error.

In the third inning, senior Alayla Soard reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced to third on a single by senior Kate Entler and then scored on a wild pitch to give Notre Dame a 3-0 lead that would hold for the remainder of the game.

Maplewood sophomore pitcher Addison Marker notched 13 strikeouts and allowed only five hits.

Division V Championship: Wheelersburg 7, Baltimore Liberty-Union 6

Wheelersburg Snags Fifth Softball State Title

AKRON, Ohio - Wheelersburg defeated Baltimore Liberty-Union 7-6 at the Division V Softball State Championship at Firestone Stadium in Akron on Sunday, June 7, 2026.

The Pirates trailed after two innings but went on to tie the game 4-4 after the fourth inning. They scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, leading 7-4.

This is the Pirates’ fifth softball state title and ninth year in the state tournament. It is Liberty-Union’s third visit to the softball state final with two previous runner-up awards.

Freshman pitcher Rylan Butcher was the winning pitcher for the Pirates. She pitched four innings following junior Pirates pitcher Emmee Eaton, who tossed three innings. Butcher notched one strikeout while giving up one earned run.

Liberty-Union led 4-1 going into the third inning. The team was led by senior Suzie Shultz, who hit a double, as did sophomore Ryleigh Brown. Shultz also pitched for 4 1/3 innings with two strikeouts.

Wheelersburg was led by freshman Libby Allen and junior Mari Jennings. Allen hit a triple in the bottom of the sixth inning to knock in a run. Jennings was 2-for-3 with three RBI.

Liberty-Union scored two runs from Shultz and sophomore Eden Wilson, in their final at bat, but Wheelersburg held on strong and won 7-6.

Division I

Hilliard Bradely Comes from Behind to Top Lancaster for First State Title

AKRON, Ohio – Hilliard Bradley completed a historic season by rallying past Lancaster 7-5 in the OHSAA Division I state championship game Thursday at Firestone Stadium to capture the program's first softball state title.

Bradley junior Sophia Lopez hit a two-run double in the top of the seventh inning to break a 5-5 tie and give the Jaguars a 7-5 lead. Junior pitcher Lainey Dennison worked perfect bottom of the seventh inning to complete Bradley’s come-from-behind state championship victory in the school’s first trip to the softball state tournament.

Bradley was ranked second in the final state coaches poll and finishes the season 27-5. The Jaguars beat third-ranked Centerville 12-4 in the state semifinal. Unranked Lancaster (24-8) was making its second state tournament appearance (2025) and shocked top-ranked Austintown-Fitch 4-0 in the semifinals.

In the top of the first inning, Lopez hit a solo home run to give Bradley an early 1-0 lead, and delivered again in the third inning when her ball in play led to a Lancaster error and another Bradley run. Senior catcher Taylor Nicholson then delivered a two-run single to put the Jaguars up 4-0.

Lancaster responded with five runs – all unearned – in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead, 5-4. Seniors Lana Prince, Kendall Brown and Hannah Smith all had RBI singles and Kileigh Rohr drove in two runs with a double.

Bradley tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the fifth inning when junior Aubrey Allen singled, stole second and scored on an RBI single by junior Mickey Moody, her second hit of the game.

Moody worked the first 2.2 innings in the circle for Bradley, followed by senior Lucy Bennett also pitching 2.2 inning before Dennison came on to end the game and earn the win.

Smith and senior Hailey Rings both had two base hits for Lancaster. Rohr and sophomore Mackenzie Hedrick combined in the circle, striking out four, walking none and allowing only three earned runs.

Division III

Bloom-Carroll Cruises to Fourth State Championship

AKRON, Ohio – The Bloom-Carroll bats were slow to get started, but once they did, the Bulldogs exploded for 10 runs on their way to a 10-1 win over Louisville in the Division III state championship game Friday night at Firestone Stadium.

Bloom-Carroll (26-4) was back in the state tournament for the seventh time overall and first in 11 years, since winning three state tiles and taking home three state runner-up trophies between 2006 and 2015.

Louisville got a leadoff home run from junior Leah Claugus to take an early lead, but the Leopards were held in check the rest of the game by Bloom-Carroll junior pitcher Emma Brandt, who struck out eight, walked none and scattered five hits in the game.

Unranked Louisville (18-14) was in the softball state tournament for the second time after winning it all in 2019.

Fifth-ranked Boom-Carroll topped second-ranked Greenville, 2-1, in the state semifinal, while Louisville beat Mansfield Madison Comprehensive, 3-2, in 10 innings.

Brandt also had two hits and three RBIs to help lead Bloom-Carroll’s offensive surge. Senior Madalyn Gates and freshman Lilly Schimmel both had three base hits and an RBI each. Senior Hayden Hubner had two hits and three RBIs.

Division IV

Kenton Ridge Rallies Past Licking Valley for Back-to-Back State Titles

AKRON, Ohio – Top-ranked, undefeated and defending state champion Springfield Kenton Ridge trailed 6-0 in the third inning, but came all the way back for a 7-6 win over Newark Licking Valley in the OHSAA Division IV state championship game Sunday morning at Firestone Stadium.

With the win, Kenton Ridge completes back-to-back 32-0 perfect seasons for 64 wins in a row. The Cougars were in the state tournament for the ninth time overall. They topped Mogadore Field, 5-3, in the semifinals.

Also entering the state tournament undefeated, second-ranked Licking Valley finishes 27-1 and is the state runner-up for the second time (1986) to go along with a state championship in 2013 in five total state tournament appearances. The Panthers beat No. 3 Bryan, 2-1, in the semifinals.

Kenton Ridge sophomore Ivee Rastatter led the Cougars to the state title, hitting two home runs and pitching all seven innings. She finished with three RBIs at the plate and struck out four and walked two. Junior Jayden Davis also had three RBIs, including Kenton Ridge’s first run of the game and the eventual game-winning two-run single in the sixth inning.

Licking Valley scored once in the second inning on an RBI double from sophomore Madison Evans and then got home runs in the third inning from sophomores Emory Whisner and Alexa Gilliam and a two-run single by junior Dani Lambert to jump to a six-run lead.

But Kenton Ridge held the Licking Valley offense in check the rest of the way and scored four runs in the third inning, one in the fourth and the go-ahead runs in the sixth. Rastatter homered in the third and fourth innings. Senior Annie Fincham added an RBI single in the third inning.

In the sixth inning, Davis hit a single to right field that brought home junior Chloe Glass and sophomore Lily Foulk, who had singled and reached on a hit by pitch, respectively, to give Kenton Ridge the lead for the first time in the game. Rastatter, who finished with four strikeouts in the circle, then closed out the game in the top of the seventh.