The Washington Lady Blue Lions varsity softball team hosted the Lady Panthers of Miami Trace for a Frontier Athletic Conference game on an afternoon of clouds, but also plenty of welcome sunshine Thursday, April 21.
Washington won the game, 16-4 in five innings.
Makenna Knisley started for Washington and pitched five innings for the win. She allowed one hit and four earned runs with seven strikeouts and two walks. She hit three batters.
Onesti Evans took the loss for Miami Trace. She pitched 1.2 innings with six hits and seven runs (all earned) with four strikeouts and three walks.
Faith Bills started for Miami Trace and pitched two-thirds of an inning. She allowed one hit and three runs (two earned) with one strikeout and three walks.
Mallory Mitchem pitched 1.2 innings for Miami Trace, with six hits and six earned runs and one walk.
Miami Trace had a great start to the game as Alexia Fox hit a grand slam home run in the top of the first.
Delaney Thomas led off and was hit by a pitch. Brooklyn Riggs walked and Sidney Payton walked before Fox hit the grand slam.
That proved to be the only hit of the game for Miami Trace.
Washington scored three runs in the third, six in the second, one in the third and six in the fourth.
Kassidy Olsson went 3 for 3 with two doubles and four runs scored.
Mallori Tucker went 2 for 3 with one RBI and three runs scored.
Makenna Knisley hit a double and drove in two runs.
Lilly Shaw went 2 for 2 with a double and a home run and four runs batted in. She scored two runs.
Madison Haithcock hit a home run, drove in two and scored one; Meredith Pabst had two hits, including a home run, scored twice and drove in two runs.
Washington sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs in the bottom of the second. Among the highlights of that inning was a two-run home run by Shaw.
In the fourth for Washington, McGraw led off with a single and Shaw followed with a double that scored courtesy runner Kalana Smith.
Haithcock followed with a home run that also scored Shaw.
Washington sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth, scoring six runs. Pabst’s home run to left came in this inning.
“Makenna did a great job on the mound tonight,” Washington head coach Rick Foose said. “We opted to put Sidney (Payton) on first (with an intentional walk) because they had runners at second and third. We walked her to face Fox and she hit the grand slam.
“It was 4-0 before we had an out,” Foose said. “We did not anticipate scoring 16 runs in the next four innings without (Miami Trace scoring again).
“We were able to shut them down (after the first inning) with Makenna on the mound,” Foose said.
“We ran the bases very well and we just spread the wealth,” Foose said. Washington had 12 stolen bases in the game.
“A lot of people contributed with key hits, solid line drives,” Foose said. “Lilly hit her third home run of the year; it was number two for Madison and I believe that was Meredith’s second home run of the year.
“This was the first time we’d beaten Trace since before COVID,” Foose said. “I think this might have been our seniors first win against Trace.”
“We kind of died off after the first inning,” Miami Trace head coach Joe Henry said. “Court House hit the ball well.
“There are no excuses,” Henry said. “The girls are not giving up. Day-in and day-out, we’re trying everything. We’re showing up and trying to win and that’s what it’s about.
“Hats off to Court House,” Henry said. “They played a good game and hit the ball well. Their pitcher, that whole team did a great job.”
Miami Trace (0-8 overall, 0-4 in the FAC) is scheduled to host Jackson Friday at 5 p.m.
Washington is now 7-4 overall, 3-2 in the FAC.
“We do not play (Friday) because McClain has a musical,” Foose said. Washington was supposed to play at Mitchell Park in Greenfield Friday.
“We are going to play at Greenfield now on Monday, May 2,” Foose said.
Offensively for Washington: Kassidy Olsson, 3-3, 4 runs, 2 2b, 4 sb; Mallori Tucker 2-3, 3 runs, 1 rbi, 1 bb, 3 sb; Makenna Knisley, 1-3, 2 rbi, 1 bb, 1 2b, roe; Meredith Pabst, 2-4, 2 runs, 2 rbi, 1 home run; Addison Knisley, 1-3, 1 rbi 1 sb; Kassie Wiseman, 0-0, 1 bb; Haven McGraw, 1-2, 1 run, 1 rbi, 1 bb, 1 sb; Kassidy Hoppes, 0-1, 2 runs, 1 sb; Lilly Shaw, 2-2, 2 runs, 4 rbi, 1 bb, 1 2b, 1 home run; Madison Haithcock, 1-2, 1 run, 2 rbi, 1 bb, 1 home run, 1 sb; Tristan Hammock, 0-2; Cadie Cupp, 0-1; Kalana Smith, 0-0, 1 run. LOB: 5.
Offensively for Miami Trace: Delaney Thomas, 0-2, 1 run, hbp 1 sb; Brooklynn Riggs, 0-2, 1 run, 1 bb; Sidney Payton, 0-1, 1 run, 1 bb, hbp; Alexia Fox, 1-3, 1 run, 4 rbi, 1 home run; Emily Bonecutter, 0-2; Lexi Ely, 0-2; Mallory Mitchem, 0-1, hbp; Onesti Evans, 0-2; Cadence Nichols, 0-2. LOB: 3.
RHE
MT 400 00x x — 4 1 2
W 361 6xx x — 16 13 1
