The Kearns sisters help Akron City Series softball champion Ellet succeed on the diamond

Sisters Emily Kearns and Riley Kearns are making memories this season as teammates for the first time on a competitive softball team.

Emily, a senior, and Riley, a freshman, grew up playing softball on youth teams at Davenport Park in Akron, but they were always in different age groups.

That changed this season as the Kearns sisters helped Ellet (15-10, 8-0) win the City Series regular-season championship and advance to meet Firestone (10-10, 6-2) in the league's postseason final at 5 p.m. Monday at Firestone Stadium.

"It is really fun," Emily said of playing with her sister. "It is nice to get to have similar friends to her now and seeing her thrive is always great.

"... I was a base coach on her rec team when we were younger. I always tagged along to her games, going back to T-ball and coach-pitch."

Ellet topped Firestone twice in the regular season at Firestone Stadium, 12-1 in six innings on April 9 and 6-5 in nine innings on April 29.

Riley Kearns delivered a walk-off two-run triple to propel Ellet past Firestone on April 29. Emily Kearns and sophomore Lulu Russell scored on the shot to left field.

"It is just great playing on the field with her," Riley said of playing with her sister. "I like watching her grow and help the team. She is a great first baseman, and I am really proud of her."

Emily Kearns is batting .416 this season with 37 hits, nine triples, 22 RBIs, 36 runs and 10 stolen bases. Riley Kearns starts in the outfield and is batting .371 with 23 hits, one home run, 23 RBIs and 20 runs.

"I love to see their sisterhood on the field and pulling each other up," Ellet coach Sara Albaugh said. "When one gets ahead of the ball when they are swinging, you hear, 'Sit back, and wait for it.' It is the big sister taking the lead and the little sister is, like, 'All right, all right. I gotcha.' They pick each other up and are having a really great year. It is wonderful to see that sisterhood on the field."

Emily Kearns hit two singles and scored a run on a single by junior Carmen Allen in Ellet's 1-0 win over Solon in a sectional semifinal Monday at Firestone Stadium. Junior Rylie Sprouse pitched a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts.

Ellet's OHSAA tournament run ended with an 11-1 road loss to GlenOak on Wednesday in a sectional final.

Albaugh's daughter, Sicillia Albaugh, is another impact player as a junior with classmates Grace Norman and Sprouse.

Sicillia Albaugh is batting .436 with 34 hits, three home runs, 29 RBIs, 32 runs and 10 stolen bases. Norman is batting .440 with 33 hits, 32 RBIs, 27 runs and nine stolen bases.

Sprouse is Ellet's top pitcher at 11-8 with a 4.86 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 112⅓ innings.

"They play for each other, which is the best thing a coach could ever hope for," Sara Albaugh said of her players. "They are, like, 'Do it for me. If you're not doing it for me, do it for the seniors. If you're not doing it for the seniors, do it for the person playing next to you.'

"It is that team mentality that they really pull together when they need it most. Somebody always steps up and gets us that big hit or gets us that big out or gives us something that we need. The team feeds off of that, and it is awesome to watch."

Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: The Kearns sisters help Ellet win in Akron City Series softball