Toreadors topple Jayettes in postseason opener

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Perry third baseman Maddy Jans fires across the diamond to first baseman Katelyn Whelchel to retire a Boone batter as pitcher Emma Olejniczak (left) looks on during their Class 4A Region 2 First Round game in Boone Thursday.

BOONE — Breanna Hunter made three first-inning runs stand up by allowing only four hits as host Boone scored a 3-0 win over Perry in their Class 4A Region 2 First Round contest Thursday.

Boone (25-12) did all the damage they would need to do in their first at-bat, as one-out singles and a stolen base put two runners aboard. Laura Anderson singled home a run, but after a fly out to center the Jayettes were guilty of miscommunication in the infield as a pop-up was allowed to land uncaught.

Rachel Kinney rips a base hit, one of her three singles in the game.
Rachel Kinney rips a base hit, one of her three singles in the game.

Kennedy Hilsabeck made Perry pay immediately with an opposite-field double to the gap in left-center that scored a pair of runs. A strikeout ended the rally, but not before the necessary wounds had been inflicted.

Perry (15-19) had threatened in the top of the frame when Johanna Diw reached on an error and Rachel Kinney produced the first of her three singles. Unfortunately for the guests, a pair of pop-ups to third base ended the danger.

The Jayettes made little headway against the soft-tossing Hunter, who — aside from a Kinney hit to open the fourth — retired 11-of-12 batters in one stretch.

Sidney Vancil singled to start the Perry fifth, with Diw walking with two down, but a pop-out — Perry would make 10 outs on balls grounder or popped up to either third base or shortstop — silenced the threat.

Emma Olejniczak pitches as first baseman Kate Whelchel (7) and third baseman Maddy Jans (rear) prepare to play defense.
Emma Olejniczak pitches as first baseman Kate Whelchel (7) and third baseman Maddy Jans (rear) prepare to play defense.

Boone had runners on base in each of their final five at-bats, including having the bases loaded in the second, a runner on third in the third, a runner on second in the fourth and two aboard in the sixth. Each time the Perry defense came to their own rescue, with Olejniczak snuffing rallies with strikeouts in teh second, third and fifth, and with strong plays by several players in the other frames keeping the game within reach.

Kinney singled to begin the Perry sixth, with Alyssa Kruger hit by a pitch, and it appeared Perry was back in business.

However, a strikeout and fielder’s choice, followed by a ground out to third, blunted the last serious Jayette threat.

Dianna Slight had two doubles for Boone, with Hilsabeck adding a single to her two-run double while Lauren Calkins also doubled to highlight the Toreador attack.

Hunter walked one, allowed four hits and struck out three in earning the complete-game shutout win.

Olejniczak was touched for three runs (one earned) on seven hits in six innings. She issued three walks and struck out six, to finish the season with 261 strikeouts, currently second-best in Class 4A.

The game was the final prep contest for Katelyn Whelchel, a fixture on the diamond for the Jayettes for many seasons.

“Katelyn is going to be missed, particularly because of her dedication to the game,” Perry head coach Tina Kenney said. “She really loves the game of softball and it shows, and we will miss having her with us.”

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Class 4A Region 2 First Round

at Boone, July 9

Team                     R  H  E

PRY   000 000 0 — 0  4  2

BNE   300 000 x — 3  7  2

PRY: Olejniczak and Huntington. BNE: Hunter and Anderson. WP: Hunter. LP: Olejncizak (12-17). 2B — BNE: Slight 2, Calkins, Hilsabeck. LOB — BNE: 9; PRY: 7.

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Video courtesy of PEGASUS-TV12 and volunteer Doug Wood. Check www.pegasustv12.com for air times of full game.

 

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