Walsh Jesuit softball edges Gilmour Academy in walk-off thriller

Katie Lippencott's sacrifice fly in the 7th inning lifted the Warriors to a 6-5 victory over the Lancers.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 1:26am

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A vibrant, fragmented painting depicting a softball game through sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of bright colors, capturing the energy and action of the final inning.A cubist interpretation of the dramatic final inning that saw Walsh Jesuit rally for a walk-off victory over Gilmour Academy.Cuyahoga Falls Today

In a back-and-forth game, Walsh Jesuit softball rallied from a 5-2 deficit to beat Gilmour Academy 6-5 on a walk-off sacrifice fly by pitcher Katie Lippencott. Lippencott also struck out 8 batters over 7 innings to earn the win, while Gilmour's Ava Gundling hit a 2-run homer in the first inning.

Why it matters

This was an important early-season matchup between two strong softball programs in Northeast Ohio. The win improves Walsh Jesuit's record to 5-1, while Gilmour Academy falls to 2-3 on the year.

The details

Walsh Jesuit trailed 5-2 before rallying with a 4-run 4th inning to take the lead. Gilmour tied it in the 7th, but Lippencott's sac fly in the bottom half scored Ella Girard for the walk-off win. Lippencott had 4 hits and an RBI at the plate to go with her pitching performance.

  • The game was played on Monday, March 31, 2026.
  • Walsh Jesuit scored 4 runs in the 4th inning to take a 5-2 lead.
  • Gilmour tied the game 5-5 in the top of the 7th inning.
  • Lippencott delivered the walk-off sac fly in the bottom of the 7th inning.

The players

Katie Lippencott

The winning pitcher and hitter for Walsh Jesuit, striking out 8 batters over 7 innings and driving in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly.

Ella Girard

The Walsh Jesuit baserunner who scored the winning run on Lippencott's sac fly in the 7th inning.

Ava Gundling

The Gilmour Academy player who hit a 2-run home run in the 1st inning to give the Lancers an early lead.

Brynn Mineard

The Walsh Jesuit player who delivered a 2-run single in the 4th inning to help the Warriors take the lead.

Camden Dreiling

The Gilmour Academy pitcher who took the loss after allowing 6 runs over 6.2 innings.

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What they’re saying

“I just go up there and do what I do, honestly, just go up there, have a good swing. I'm playing for my team. It's not for me. It's all for them, for the greater glory of God. And honestly, it was same approach as every other at-bat.”

— Katie Lippencott, Walsh Jesuit Pitcher and Hitter

“I know it's a key role for me to get on base, because it's a big momentum shifter, especially because I can steal bases. I know that I have good hitters behind me, so all I really care about is just getting on base somehow.”

— Ella Girard, Walsh Jesuit Baserunner

“Off the bat, I was like, that's gonna be good. So it felt great.”

— Ava Gundling, Gilmour Academy Player

“She was throwing my strikes. Middle in is where I like it, so she was definitely throwing those strikes. And I watched her a little on Twitter before we hit, so I knew that I was going to drive those pitches before we played.”

— Brynn Mineard, Walsh Jesuit Player

“I just kind of threw it. It was just using my fundamentals. It felt great knowing it helped my team.”

— Gia Vrona, Walsh Jesuit Player

What’s next

The teams will meet again on May 10th for a rematch at Gilmour Academy's home field.

The takeaway

This thrilling comeback win for Walsh Jesuit showcases the resilience and clutch hitting of the Warriors, who rallied from a 3-run deficit to secure the walk-off victory. The game also highlighted the offensive firepower and pitching talent of both teams, setting the stage for what could be an exciting rematch later in the season.