A-Ray of hope: Austintown-Fitch's Ayla Ray always came through in the clutch for the Falcons

For the second straight season, the Youngstown State commit hit what turned out to be the game-winning home run in the OHSAA softball DIvision I state championship game

Austintown-Fitch's Ayla Ray rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the 2024 OHSAA Division I state championship game. / Jeff Harwell, SBLive Sports

AKRON, Ohio – Ayla Ray had been here before. And even if the result was the same, the reaction was a little different.

The last time the Austintown-Fitch shortstop stood in the batter’s box at Firestone Stadium in a tie game in the state championship game, she had blasted a solo home run in the fifth inning of the 2023 state championship game to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead and eventual 6-1 win over Anthony Wayne.

And while the situation was a little different this season, the senior shortstop stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the first inning of the OHSAA Division I state championship game against Watkins Memorial on June 1 with the score tied 0-0 and once again, the fences at Firestone Stadium couldn’t hold the blast that came off her bat as she hit a homer to center to give Fitch a 1-0 lead in a game they eventually won 4-0.

But unlike her celebration in 2023 when she knew immediately that the ball was leaving the park and she raised her right index finger halfway to first base, the Youngstown State commit was a little more subdued this season. She seemed to start raising the finger and then quickly put it back down, maybe having the memory of the day before etched in her mind. In that game, a 10-0 win over Fairfield in the state semifinals, she hit a ball to almost the same exact spot she had hit the homer in last year’s titles game, only for it to hit in front of the fence and bounce over for a ground rule double.

“It felt great off the bat,” Ray said of the home run against Watkins. “I just I knew I got robbed yesterday. So I just had to come back out today and get one.”

It was her 15th home run of the season, more than doubling her total from a season ag when she hit six, and good enough for tops on the team, beating out Sydnie Watts by two for the team lead.

In four seasons at Fitch, Ray hit .525 with 24 homers, 32 doubles, 11 triples and 102 RBIs, mostly hitting out of one of the top two spots in the Falcons’ lineup. She struck out just 11 times in four seasons over 332 plate appearances.

But you can’t tell the story of Ayla Ray by just focusing on the offense.

In the top of the first inning of the state championship game against Watkins, she showed off her defensive prowess on one of the biggest plays of the game with Jorday Wycuff of Watkins at the plate.

Wycuff hit a ball that got to the fence in center, but Fitch centerfielder - and Ayla’s younger sister -   Kaliana Ray got to it, threw to Ayla, who turned and fired a perfect throw to third baseman Morgan Roby to get Wycuff out at third.

"I trust (Kaliana)," Ayla Ray said. "I know she has a great arm. She has so much potential. And just it's indescribable to get that out."

And then in the top of the sixth inning with one out, Watkins’ Kendal Tellings hit a ball down the line in left field that was going to be a tough play for the left fielder or the third baseman. Ray never hesitated and sprinted from her shortstop position as soon as the ball came off the bat and chased the ball down for the second out.

It was reminiscent of something Fitch head coach Steve Ward had said the day before in the postgame press conference after the win over Fairfield when he was asked about his defense, which made just two errors in the postseason.

“I think sometimes it's easy to go into autopilot with Sydnie (Watts) in the circle and any opportunity they get, they want to shine in their moment,” Ward said. “So they just stay locked in and you see us make some amazing plays because this team is all in for each other. They don't care who does it as long as we do it. So if they get an opportunity to make a play to further advance the team, they're not missing that opportunity.”

To that point, Watts had realized after the first time through the Watkins order on Saturday that the Warriors weren’t going to chase many pitches and the Georgia Tech commit was going to have to let them put the ball in play and trust in her defense behind her.

“They weren't chasing,” Watts said. “And just from that, I knew that my defense was behind me and at that point after scoring a couple runs, I was like okay, now I can get it back to the zone and let my defense do the work and this game is ours.”

Playing defense behind Watts is nothing new for Ray, who has been teammates with her pitcher since they were kids. It made winning two state titles together even more special.

“Syd and I have played together my whole entire life,” Ray said. “We started together and just finish it out with her feels amazing.”

After striking out the final hitter of the game to clinch the state title, Watts gave three fist pumps and two jumps before spinning around and running straight to her shortstop for an embrace that had been 10 years in the making.

"This game was for Ayla," Watts said. "We played together since we were eight. She's my best friend. And this hurts but we ended this game on a win for her. I am gonna miss her so much and I can't wait to see what she's gonna do in college. She's gonna do great things and it feels amazing to be able to do it for her."

And after the game, Ray felt that same way. Only she was a loss for words after thinking about helping the Falcons win the first two state championships in program history.

“Yeah, it's unbelievable,” Ray said, holding back the emotions she had shown when handed the championship trophy. “I feel so grateful.”

And the Fitch program is grateful that Ray has a penchant for stepping up in the biggest moments.

-- Ryan Isley | ryan@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveoh