Only two of the eight Ballard batters to reach base safely Thursday at the PAC ended up crossing the plate. Unfortunately for host Perry, that was one too many, as the Bombers (14-2, 6-0) escaped with a 2-1 win over the Jayettes (9-4, 4-3).
Jayette ace Emma Olejniczak tossed all seven frames. She allowed two runs on just four hits, one walk and one hit batsman. The senior finished with 10 strikeouts, with her fourth serving as career set-down number 1,000.
Skyler Rigby drew a walk to open the game, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt and then swiping third base. She was there with two outs when a wild pitch allowed Bomber catcher to scamper home.
The lead lasted exactly one batter, as Perry junior Jo Diw opened the home half of the first with a towering blast to left center, her sixth home run of the season. She is now tied for second place in Class 4A with six dingers on the season.
Olejniczak made history in the second. Already having two strikeouts, her fanned Karlee Ahernholtz to begin the second, and, after a ground out, whiffed Bella Johnson to end the inning and join the Grand Club of 1,000 strikeout queens.
A Rigby double and one-out single from Abby Carlin put Ballard into a 2-1 lead in the third. An error had two Bombers aboard, but a strikeout ended the inning and limited the damage.
Ballard offered little offensive threat the rest of the, as Olejniczak retired 12 of the final 15 batters she faced.
The Jayette offense missed repeated opportunities to take control of the game. Perry stranded two runners in the, with Rachel Kinney doubling and Olejniczak reaching on a single, with an error, to put runners on second and third with no outs in the fourth.
The hosts tried a suicide squeeze play, but first baseman Maggie Larson charged hard, and made a clean scoop and then a perfect throw to home to nail Kinney. Carlin recorded consecutive strikeouts to silence the rally.
Perry left Sid Vancil stranded in the fifth after a two-out single, with Kinney singling to start the sixth. She was doubled off when Larson raced in hard from first base to catch a bunt, then turned to easily retire Kinney. Maddie West followed with a walk, but was stranded, with singles in the seventh from Gabby West and Diw failing to plate a run.
Carlin kept Perry batters off stride with high strikes and a change-up, finishing with eight strikeouts. She was touched for nine hits and a walk but allowed only the Diw home run to cross the dish.
Perry plays Lewis Central at 12 p.m. and Madrid at 4 p.m. today in the Woodward-Granger Classic. The will battle host W-G at 2 p.m. Saturday before facing Ogden at 4 p.m.
