CINCINNATI — The Oak Hills softball team is headed back to the regional semifinals (round of 16) thanks to a late comeback against Lebanon.
The district final game was a pitcher's duel for the majority of the way. The Warriors plated one runner in the top of the third, to take a 1-0 lead.
Oak Hills pitcher Avery Gottlieb kept the Highlanders in it, though, by holding Lebanon scoreless the rest of the way.
Oak Hills scored its first run of the game in the sixth frame on a double by Abby Bode to knot the game up at 1-1.
In the top of the seventh, Gottlieb would retire Lebanon's batters in order. That brought Oak Hills within one swing of a victory.
Lebanon would retire Oak Hills' first batter in the seventh, bringing Kailee Hebert to the plate. Hebert only needed to see one pitch.
"I thought that I hit a pop-up," said Hebert. "I saw it go over and I said, dang I just did that."
She sent that lone pitch over the fence for a walk-off home run.
"It was amazing. That's the highlight of my life, honestly," said Hebert. "It's going to stay with me."
It was Hebert's third home run of the season.
"All of the alumni that have been to the sweet 16 and gotten past this point, they are all rooting for us," said Hebert.
This is the first time Oak Hills has been to the regional tournament since 2012.
"We had one goal this year as a softball team - Get on the [championship] banner," said Hebert.
Oak Hills can add one more title to that banner, thanks to Thursday's district championship.
The Highlanders will play their regional semifinal game next week.
