MINERAL RIDGE — United High School’s softball team etched its name in school history Monday night as the 11th-seeded Golden Eagles cruised to an impressive 14-1 five-inning romp over fourth-seeded Mineral Ridge in a Div. VI district semifinal at Bill Croft Field.

The win sends the Golden Eagles (19-6) into their first-ever district championship game berth in school history.

“This is the first time United has ever been to a district title game,” beamed United head coach Jennifer Koons afterward. “I’m just really proud of this team, we set three goals this year and we hit them. We wanted to break the team doubles record, which we definitely did tonight, we were tied with it before tonight; we wanted to win the conference; and we wanted to make our way to a district title game and we’ve done it. We checked the boxes.”

United will play the winner of today’s Hillsdale-Newton Falls game on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in a Div. VI district title game at Wooster Triway High School. The winner there advances to Ohio’s Sweet 16.

If a team can play a near perfect game, United came close to achieving it against Mineral Ridge as the Golden Eagles combined a torrid 18-hit barrage with outstanding plays on defense and a sterling complete game six-hitter twirled by pitcher Madison Aegerter.

The Golden Eagles, who scored in every inning but one, put the game away in an eight-run third inning when they hammered out seven hits. The big blows in the frame occurred on a two-run home run to right off the bat of Chloe Angelo, an RBI single to left by Aegerter and a two-RBI single by Caitlyn Roller. When the third-inning smoke cleared, United had ballooned its 3-1 lead into an 11-1 rout.

“It’s tough, we preach to the girls we had to play error-free and we had a couple in that (third) inning and things just kind of spiraled out of control,” said Mineral Ridge co-head coach William Sandy. “One run led to another and another, so that was tough.”

The Golden Eagles had eight players with hits or multiple hits in the game. The top hitters included Angelo (two RBI single, two-run home run), Aegerter (two doubles, a single and three RBI), Josie Wargo (three singles), Brittany Miller (single), Roller (two-RBI single), Payten Kekel (3-run home run, two singles), Callie Koons (three singles), Miley Pitts (single) and Jillian Dietrich (single).

“Callie (Koons) and Klohe (Angelo), they set the tone at the top of the lineup,” praised Jennifer Koons. “I don’t know if I’ve seen a better one-two punch this year — they are absolutely annihilating the ball right now. And Madison Aegerter, she’s on fire, and Payten Kekel misses a bunt and then hits one over the left field fence — I could say something about every single person on this team.

“It (reaching the district title game) feels really good, I’m really emotional about it,” stated Callie Koons. “We’ve put in so much work and it feels good to finally get it all back.”

“Honestly, to be part of such a long journey and just being able to get to this point is such an honor with being the first one in school history,” said Angelo.

Meanwhile, Aegerter, who was a force at the plate, was also masterful in the circle. She averaged a strikeout per inning while striking out five batters with no walks in the five-inning mercy rule game.

“I have a lot of talent (on the team), a lot of ability and have a lot of girls that work really hard,” said Jennifer Koons.

The Golden Eagles also played outstanding defense. They had no errors during the game and several United fielders made outstanding running catches for outs.

“Brittany Miller’s diving catch out there was unreal and right when you need it,” said Jennifer Koons. “We wanted to close the door when they started threatening with their big hitters coming up.”

Mineral Ridge, which finished third in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference this season, bowed out with a 18-9 record.

“The highlights we had, our offense at times was just explosive (this year),” said Mineral Ridge’s co-head coach Joe Merolillo. “For four years now we’ve been trying to get that going and we really did this year.”

Leading the Rams’ offense against United was Kourtni Kaminski with a double and single.

Turning to Wednesday’s district title game, Jennifer Koons knows her Golden Eagles will be ready, no matter who the opponent will be.

“I’m just happy we won and if we play like this, bring it on,” said Koons.

U: 1-2-8-0-3 –14-18-1

M: 1-0-0-0-0 — 1-6-2