Putting together a great season so far, the Whitko softball team set its sights on a nonconference game against Fort Wayne Wayne on Thursday. The offense got going early and often for the Lady ‘Cats in this one, as the team was able to cruise to a 17-0 win at home.
Lady Generals began the game with a single, but it was quickly erased. On the very next pitch, a perfect throw by Whitko catcher Chloe Keen thwarted an attempt to steal second base and put the first out on the board. The home starter, Reagan Klepinger was able to get the next two outs with ease and pitch a scoreless first.
On the other side of things, the Lady ‘Cat offense wasted absolutely no time making a statement. Whitko scored nine runs in the bottom of the first, with a large chunk of them coming on some aggressive baserunning. Leading the offense in the frame was Addie Garr, who hit a two RBI triple, Klepinger, who helped herself out with a double that drove in two runs, Izzie Harman and Sophie Keener, who both added RBIs.
After the offensive explosion, Klepinger got right back to work. She used two strikeouts in the inning to strand a runner at third and keep Wayne scoreless.

    Whitko sophomore Reagan Klepinger releases her pitch to the plate during Thursday's home game against Fort Wayne Wayne...Nieter

As for Whitko, the home side did not take its foot off the gas in any way when the team went back up to the plate in the bottom of the second. The Lady ‘Cats followed up their nine-run inning with an eight-run frame, making it a 17-0 game after recording just six outs. Harman added three RBIs in the inning, batting twice and hitting a double and a single. Meredith Hindbaugh and Taylor Long each drove in runs in another inning that saw aggressive baserunning lead to a plethora of runs.
Meanwhile, Klepinger continued to cruise in the circle. The third inning was the third straight scoreless frame thrown by the sophomore, who worked around a one-out walk to retire the side. The bottom of the third was the first scoreless inning for Whitko, as the team had just one hit in the inning, a double by Sophie Keener. She’d be called out a couple pitches later for leaving the base early, sending things to the fourth.
Klepinger, who had not allowed a hit since the first batter of the game took to the plate, continued to roll when she returned to the circle. An error allowed the leadoff hitter to reach, but the next three hitters were retired to put the home side three outs away from victory.
A single by Keen was the lone hit for the Lady ‘Cats in the bottom of the fourth, leading into the fifth and final inning. With the outcome of the game long decided, the shut out was all that was left to preserve for the home side.
Klepinger was able to finish things off without allowing a run. She’d get some help from her defense, including an unconventional 7-3 double play, but it was enough to seal the deal on the team’s second win in as many days.
Whitko (12-4) hosts Oak Hill on Friday.