The Washington Lady Blue Lion varsity softball team hosted the squad from Southeastern High School (Clark County) Thursday, April 18.
The Lady Lions found themselves in a close, competitive contest, rallying with two runs in the sixth, only to have the visitors score twice in the seventh to return home with a 3-2 victory.
Makenna Knisley was the hard-luck losing pitcher. She allowed nine hits and three runs (one earned) with nine strikeouts and two walks.
S. Grim pitched the first six innings with seven hits and two earned runs. She walked seven and struck out three.
A. Shepherd pitched a scoreless seventh inning with one strikeout.
The game was scoreless until Southeastern scored in the top of the first.
Washington was kept off the board until the bottom of the sixth inning.
Haven McGraw led off the inning with a double.
With one out, Kearria Marcum walked and Mallori Tucker was sent in to run for Marcum.
Then, with two away, Kassidy Olsson walked to load the bases.
Maddy Jenkins came through with a single that scored Brooklyn Foose, who came in to run for McGraw, and Tucker.
The next batter flew out to end the inning.
Washington took a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh.
Southeastern had three singles, a fielder’s choice and a Washington error that combined to plate two runs for a 3-2 lead.
Washington went out in order in the bottom of the seventh.
“This is a tough one,” Washington head coach Randy Elzey said. “We had a tough one (Wednesday, April 17) at Chillicothe. We were down early, but we came fighting back to get to within two.
“Tonight, we thought Makenna probably pitched her best game of the year,” Elzey said. “She was on her game tonight, had a lot of her off-speed stuff working.
“If I was disappointed about anything in the game, it was our failure (to get hits) with runners in scoring position,” Elzey said. “Several times we had bases loaded or runners on first and second or second and third and we just couldn’t get that big hit. If we get a couple of hits during those times, we’re good to go.
“Southeastern’s a very good team,” Elzey said. “They go deep into the tournament all the time.”
Washington (3-15 overall, 2-6 in the Frontier Athletic Conference) is off now until Monday, April 29 when they travel to Minford.
Washington finishes the regular season with four home games: Unioto, April 30, Miami Trace, May 1, McClain, May 2 and Vinton County on May 3.
RHE
SE 001 000 2 — 3 9 0
W 000 002 0 — 2 7 2
Offensively for Washington: Brooklyn Devenport, 0-3, 1 bb; Kassidy Olsson, 1-3, 1 bb; Maddy Jenkins, 1-3, 2 rbi, 1 bb, fc; Makenna Knisley, 1-3, 1 bb; Meredith Pabst, 1-4; Corynn Chrisman, 1-3, 1 bb, sb; Haven McGraw, 1-4, 2b; Emma Funari, 1-2, sb, 1 bb; Kearria Marcum, 0-0, 1 bb; Mallori Tucker, 0-1, 1 run, sac; Taylor Smith, 0-0; Kassie Wiseman, 0-0; Brooklyn Foose, 0-0, 1 run. LOB: 11.
Offensively for Southeastern: T. Lewis, 3-4, 2 runs, 2b, sb; R. Harrington, 0-4, 1 run, fc; A. Shepherd, 2-3, 2 rbi, 1 bb, roe; A. Jones, 0-3, 1 bb; M. Cordial, 2-4, 1 rbi, fc, sb; A. Lambert, 0-3; S. Grim, 1-3; J. Myers, 1-3; M. Blankenship, 0-3. LOB: 7.
