Class 4A No. 13 Boone (19-9, 3-9) is a genuine offensive threat. The Toreadors have scored the second-most runs, on the highest number of hits, in the Raccoon River Conference this season.
However, none of the former, and precious few of the latter, have come against Perry senior ace Emma Olejniczak, who continued her mastery of Boone’s bats to help lead the seventh-ranked Jayettes (21-7. 7-4) to a 4-0 win at the PAC Thursday.
A seventh-inning bunt single from Dianna Slight and a walk spoiled a perfect game from Olejniczak June 1 in Boone as Perry won, 3-0. Olejniczak struck out 14 in the win.
Slight ended any perfect game or no-hitter drama leading off the first Thursday, reaching on a bunt off her friend and future roommate this fall at the University of Northern Iowa when Perry left first base uncovered.
She was left stranded at second base, as was Drake recruit Laura Anderson after her fourth inning double. A single from Lauren Calkins in the seventh was the third and final hit Olejniczak allowed as she collected the win while striking out seven.
Eighth-grader Emma Dighton has been starting all season for Boone and did again Thursday. She was greeted by Jo Diw’s Class 4A-leading 13th home run, a rocket that rose into a 15 mph wind and sailed well over the center field wall.
One-out singles from Alyssa Kruger and Rachel Kinney followed, with Olejniczak hitting a low screamer that ricocheted off the inside of Dightman’s right foot and caromed all the way into right field, allowing Kruger to score. Maddie West followed with a RBI-single to make it 3-0 before a pop out ended the inning.
Dightman remained in the game as the designated player, with Jordan Trowbridge entering the ring and pitching the final five innings.
Trowbridge had thrown only two innings all season, but frustrated Perry with slow pitches and an even slower off-pitch offering that had Jayette batters nearly leaping out of their shoes trying to crush the ball — when they could wait long enough to swing.
Kruger and Kinney hit consecutive singles in the third, with West again driving in a run with a base hit, but a Gabby West single in the fourth was the only other hit Trowbridge would allow.
Perry faces Class 2A No. 8 and host Pella Christian at 10:30 a.m. in tourney play Saturday, with Grinnell the opponent in a 1:45 p.m. contest.
