The word of the day Friday for the Perry softball team may very well have been ‘strike.’
The host Jayettes struck early for three runs in their first at-bat, and sophomore pitcher Jayna Kenney recorded a career-best eight strikeouts, with the combination forming the basis of a 6-2 win for Perry, their first of the season.
Madrid (0-9) had plated an unearned run to start the game, but Perry (1-6) responded as soon as they grabbed their bats.
Lydia Olejniczak walked and Kenney singled, with a Macy Killmer RBI-ground out tying the game. Senior Cassidy Heck then came through with a clutch double, plating courtesy runner Jasmine Shriver and Kennedy Tunink (who had singled) to push Perry into a 3-1 lead.
A single tally in the bottom of the seconds and two runs in the fourth created a 6-1 bulge, with an unearned Tiger run in the fifth the final scoring in the non-conference game.
Kenney scattered four hits in seven innings pitched. She fanned eight and did not issue a walk.
Olejniczak scored twice after walking twice, with Kenney adding two singles and a RBI while Shriver — her courtesy runner — crossed the plate twice. Killmer had a single, a run and two RBIs, Tunink a single and a run, Heck a two-RBI double, Molly Lutmer a RBI-single and Taylor Atwell a walk.
Emma Olsen yielded six runs on six hits in six frames for the guests. She struck out three and walked three and had a single while batting.
Jadyn Miller had a single and a double for the visitors, with Breanna Knudsen providing a base hit.
The Jayettes honored their seniors before the game, with Lutmer, Heck, Carly Herrera and Hannah Peterson saluted by the crowd. Fellow senior Jasmyn Barck was unable to attend.
Perry plays twice today at the Boone tourney, facing Humboldt and Ogden. They host Carlisle Monday, visit Bondurant-Farrar Wednesday and return to the PAC Thursday when they entertain Ballard.
