In a tightly contested game between the Whitko and Wabash softball teams on Wednesday, neither side was able to find much separation. Despite a fantastic outing by starting pitcher Cassidy Skinner (20 strikeouts), Wabash was able to come away with a 4-3 victory in eleven innings.
Skinner, One of the area’s best starting pitchers all season long, wasted no time getting into a rhythm, retiring all three hitters she saw in the top of the first inning, including strikeouts of the first two Lady Apaches to come up to the plate. Wabash starter Kalli Davis was just as efficient in the bottom half of the frame, sending the game to the second inning after a hitless first.
After striking out the first two hitters of the inning, Skinner ran into a bit of trouble here, allowing two straight singles to put two runners on with two outs. The junior was able to get out of trouble with her third K of the inning and fifth through two. The Lady ‘Cats were able to score the game’s first run in the bottom of the second. Skinner led off the frame with a single into left, which was followed by a bunt by Hope Bradley. Skinner would take second and third on the bunt, and after being ruled safe at first, Bradley took off for second, getting into a rundown that allowed Skinner to make it home after a close play at the plate.
Wabash’s Kendall France led the top of the third off with an infield single to third base, followed by a steal of second and a wild pitch to put her on third with nobody out. Skinner would make sure she would get no further, striking out the next three hitters to strand the runner and keep her team in front. Sophie Keener led off the bottom of the third with an infield single of her own, reaching second with nobody out on a stolen base. But a pair of lazy fly balls and a strikeout would end the rally for Whitko before it could even begin, sending the game to the fourth with the Lady ‘Cats still up 1-0.
Skinner continued to keep it rolling on the mound, striking out the first two Lady Apaches in the inning to give her 10 punch outs through four before getting a grounder to second to send her team back up to the plate. The only offense the Lady ‘Cats could put together in the bottom of the fourth was a two-out single by Bradley for her second hit of the night, but the inning was ended not long after on a line out to third.

    Whitko freshman Sophie Keener slides safely into second base as Kait Honeycutt of Wabash waits for the ball...Nieter

France ripped one into center for her second hit of the game with one out in the top of the fifth, but was erased from the base paths not long afterwards as Taylor Long made a great throw from behind the plate to throw her out stealing. Skinner’s eleventh strikeout of the game flipped it over once more. Reagan Klepinger led off the bottom half with a walk, reached second on a sacrifice bunt by Addison Patrick, but was stranded there to keep it a one-run game.
Wabash finally got onto the scoreboard in the top of the sixth as Elli Hall led the inning off with a single into right field. An error in the outfield allowed Hall to make it all the way to third base, and moments later, she’d score the tying run on a wild pitch. Two more runners would get on base for the Lady Apaches, but neither was able to cross home, leaving the game tied at 1-1. Whitko went down in order their next time up to keep it scoreless going into the seventh.
After giving up a run the inning prior, Skinner responded well on the mound in the top of the seventh, retiring the side in order. A leadoff walk to Bradley did not produce the winner, as three straight outs sent the game to extras.
A leadoff walk to Hall in the top of the eighth would lead to the go-ahead run. She’d take second on a wild pitch and reach third on a ground out to second. Then, she’d take off for home and catch the Whitko defense off guard, scoring her second run of the game to put Wabash on top. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth and Patrick on second after another leadoff walk, Kaylee Adkins came up big with a single to tie the game up once again and send things to the ninth.
After a crucial 4-6 double play helped hold the Lady Apaches scoreless in the top of the ninth, Whitko had a chance to win it in the bottom half. Bradley would single for her third hit of the game, but would be thrown out stealing second to end the threat and send things to the 10th.
Two big strikeouts by Skinner with two runners in scoring position ended the Wabash threat in the top of the tenth, giving her a jaw-dropping 19 for the game and her team another chance to win it. Another hitless inning would send the game to the eleventh.
A leadoff double by Wabash led to the breakthrough the visitors were desperately craving, as it lead to a two-run inning that saw the Lady Apaches take the largest lead of the game. With just three outs to work with, Whitko was only able to get one run on a Skinner RBI single that brought Adkins home, leading to a Wabash win.
Whitko 6-11 (4-3) plays at Heritage Saturday.