On a chilly, rainy Wednesday evening, the Washington Lady Blue Lions softball team hosted Waverly for a non-league contest.
Waverly won the game, 10-6.
The Lady Tigers, a No. 5 seed in the upcoming Division II tournament, sported a record of 13-8 at the time of the drawing.
It was Senior Day for the Lady Lions and Washington recognized its eight seniors prior to the game.
The seniors are: Hailey Hartshorn, Brooklyn Wilson, Caylee Mussetter, Wendy Hawk, Kate Jude, Taylor Harrington, Ciera Strahler and Madison Helterbrand.
The Lady Lions scored six runs on nine hits and committed two errors.
Waverly scored 10 runs on 11 hits and also committed two errors.
Kate Jude started and took the loss for Washington in the pitcher’s circle. She threw four innings with seven hits and seven runs (four earned) with two walks and five strikeouts.
Ciera Strahler pitched three innings with four hits and three runs (two earned), two walks and one strikeout.
M. Howard was the starting and winning pitcher for Waverly. She worked five innings with six hits and six runs (four earned). She walked five and struck out two.
M. Burton pitched two innings with three hits, no runs, one walk and two strikeouts.
For the Lady Lions, eight different players had base hits, with Taylor Harrington having two.
Wendy Hawk drilled a line-drive home run over the left-centerfield fence, driving in two.
Jude hit a double and drove in two; Wilson, Strahler, Mussetter and Hartshorn each had one hit.
Maddy Jenkins had a run-scoring triple.
Morris and Burton hit home runs for the Lady Tigers.
“It’s been our story all year,” Washington head coach Randy Elzey said. “We get down early and we continue to battle back. We came close to the lead a couple of times today. We gave them too many unearned runs.”
Two Washington errors allowed Waverly to score four unearned runs, the margin of difference in this game.
Waverly struck for two runs in the first and put one on the board in the third.
Washington got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the third.
Hawk and Hartshorn walked and Jude drove them in with a double.
Waverly scored one in the fourth and five in the fifth to take a 9-2 lead.
Washington rallied with four runs in the fifth.
Madison Helterbrand walked and Hawk hit her second home run of the year, a screaming liner to left-center.
Taylor Harrington reached on an error and scored on a triple by Jenkins.
Jenkins would score on a wild pitch.
Washington threatened but did not score in the sixth.
Waverly made it a 10-6 game with a run in the top of the seventh.
In the seventh for the Lady Lions, Strahler reached on an error and Harrington singled up the middle. Washington did not score, however.
After the game, many more pictures were taken and the eight seniors lined up for the traditional Senior Slide into home.
The wet ground conditions made sliding a bit difficult, but all the seniors took part in the event.
Weather permitting, Washington (9-11) will host Madison Plains Thursday.
Elzey gave a few thoughts on his eight seniors.
“Several of the girls are going on to college,” Elzey said. “Two of them are going to be playing softball in college.”
Wendy Hawk will be attending Wittenberg and Brooklyn Wilson is going to Bethany College in West Virginia, where they will play for their respective teams.
“These girls are going to be sadly missed,” Elzey said. “I’ve had them now for three years and they are the core of our team. I wish them nothing but the best of luck in their future. Once they are a part of this program, they will always be a part of the program. We will welcome them to come back and give us support through everything they’ve learned.”
Offensively for Washington: Brooklyn Wilson, 1-3, 1 sb; Madison Helterbrand, 0-1, 1 bb, 1 run, 1 sac.; Wendy Hawk, 1-2, 2 runs, 2 rbi, 1 home run (No. 2), 2 bb; Kate Jude, 1-4, 2 rbi, 1 2b; Ciera Strahler, 1-3, 1 bb; Taylor Harrington, 2-4, 1 run; Maddy Jenkins, 1-4, 1 run, 1 rbi, 1 3b; Caylee Mussetter, 1-3, 1 bb; Hailey Hartshorn, 1-3, 1 run, 1 bb; Annie Semler and Meghan Tucker, courtesy runners.
Offensively for Waverly: E. Hopper, 2-5, 1 rbi, 1 2b; K. Doles, 0-3, 1 run, 1 bb; C. Riffe, 2-4, 3 runs; M. Morris, 1-4, 1 run, 2 rbi, 1 home run; M. Howard, 3-4, 1 rbi; D. Newland, 1-3, 1 run, 2 rbi; M. Ison, 0-3, 1 bb; M. Burton, 1-2, 1 run, 1 rbi, 1 bb, 1 home run, 1 sac.; Rudd and Sautter, courtesy runners, 1 run each.
RHE
Wav. 201 150 1 — 10 11 2
WCH 002 040 0 — 6 9 2
