MASON — The formula has become familiar for the Kings High School softball team this spring — dominant pitching, airtight defense and the type of offense to put games out of reach.
On Friday afternoon, the seventh-ranked Knights put all of it on display again.
Behind a masterful performance from ace Neely McElhaney, Kings rolled to an 8-0 victory over Little Miami in a Division II regional semifinal at Mason, extending its winning streak to 16 games.
McElhaney struck out 14 batters and fired a three-hit shutout as the Knights improved to 27-1 and advanced to Saturday’s regional championship game against Northmont.
The senior right-hander controlled the game from the outset, allowing only two walks while never permitting a runner beyond second base.
“She’s special,” Kings coach John Schablein said of McElhaney. “We always say we can beat ourselves, but when we play defense like we did today, get great pitching and timely hitting, we’re a really tough team. All four phases were there today.”
Kings entered the postseason as one of the hottest teams in Ohio — its only loss coming against Milford. Since then, the Knights have steadily built momentum behind a balanced roster capable of winning games in a variety of ways.
Friday was another example.
Kings manufactured its first run in the second inning with aggressive baserunning, stealing home to take an early lead. The Knights continued to pressure Little Miami throughout the afternoon, taking advantage of opportunities and forcing the Panthers to play from behind.
After Kings had stretched its lead to 4-0, catcher Julia Lowry delivered the biggest swing of the game — launching a two-run home run over the left-field fence.
“She won the Triple Crown in our league. What can you say?” Schablein said of Lowry. “She’s had a tremendous year. The neat thing about our lineup is almost everybody can run into one.”
Lowry finished with two RBIs, while Leah Mitchener and Madison Titler each recorded two hits.
The Panthers, who finished 20-10, managed hits from Aubrey Mullins, Lyla Hatfield and Aubrey Wyatt.
Despite the finish, Little Miami completed one of the most successful seasons in recent history. The Panthers captured a district championship and emerged as one of the top teams in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference.
“We’re so proud of them,” Little Miami second-year coach Chad Thieme said. “Today didn’t go how we wanted it to go, but we knew it was going to take our best game. It wasn’t our best game, but it wasn’t for lack of effort. We fought our butts off out there.
“We won a district title, which hasn’t happened here in a long time. We elevated ourselves into the top tier of the conference, and these seniors helped build that foundation. We came here trying to build something, and we think we’re on our way.”
Bailey Thieme battled through six innings in the circle for Little Miami, allowing eight runs — six earned — while striking out four.
For Kings, the focus quickly shifts to Saturday’s regional final.
“We’re solid in all phases,” Schablein said. “When we play clean softball, we’re pretty tough to beat
