Lainey McDaniel has been a pitching ace for Reeths-Puffer softball this season, and she continued that trend at the right time this weekend—during Saturday’s GMAA Tier I city championship. 
The Rockets hoisted the city softball title with a 3-0 shutout over Ravenna and McDaniel was nearly untouchable from the circle. McDaniel posted six strikeouts and gave up just four hits in the Rockets’ championship win.
Reeths-Puffer kept Ravenna at bay with an early streak to start the contest.
Three base hits in a row from the first three batters in the first inning gave the Rockets a 1-0 lead to start the game.
Kaylee Jones led off with a single, McDaniel followed up with another single and Abbie Critchett came through with an RBI single to give Reeths-Puffer the early lead.
McDaniel cruised through the first three innings with four strikeouts and a solid defense backing her. She faced just nine batters, three up and three down, in the first three innings.
The Rockets tacked on two runs in the third inning, highlighted by an RBI triple from Critchett and an RBI sacrifice fly from Mady Snyder.
Ravenna was able to get a small rally going in the fifth inning with back-to-back singles from Sydney Morrissey and Taylor Nutt with just one out. But the Bulldogs weren’t able to capitalize, grounding out on the next two at bats to close out the inning.
McDaniel and the Rockets cruised the rest of the way, downing the next six Ravenna batters in the sixth and seventh innings.
While Ravenna’s bats struggled against McDaniel, the Bulldogs’ pitching was nearly as tough as Reeths-Puffer’s.
Addison Gillard and Ravenna gave up just six hits to Reeths-Puffer, while striking out six batters.
Ravenna was led at the plate by Emily Postema as the lone Bulldog with multiple hits. She had two singles.
