SYRACUSE - On windy day at Wawasee High School, the Warsaw softball team blew over a couple more runs than their host. Getting a 3-1 win over the Wawasee Lady Warriors (5-7, Northern Lakes Conference) in the conference opener for each squad, the Warsaw Lady Tigers (3-4, 1-0 NLC) made the plays when they needed to. With the game tied at 1-1 in the top of the sixth, senior Kelsey Dotson began the inning with a walk, then junior Kaitlin Wiley reached on an errant throw to first base, which was Wawasee’s fourth error of the game. With two on already, junior Kayla Snider reached on an infield single, loading the bases with no outs. But with things looking bleak, Wawasee senior pitcher Gabi Routson induced a shallow flyout, followed by a strikeout and appeared able to get out of the inning. However, sophomore Kiera Stahly hit a hard grounder, which found its way through the infield and plated Doston and Wiley. “We did a good job of taking our opportunities when they were there, and we got a couple key hits,” Warsaw coach Jim Speicher said. The Lady Tigers came up big again in the bottom of sixth. After posting two quick outs on just two pitches from Warsaw senior Cari O’Hara, Wawasee junior Madi Anderson and senior Amber Yoder picked up back-to-back singles. Freshman Priscilla Weikart then blasted a shot to center field, which floated to left-center aided by the stiff wind, but Warsaw junior center fielder Ashley Ousley made the diving catch, ending the inning. “That was probably the key play in the ball game,” Speicher said. “If that falls in, they have momentum and probably tie it. That was a big play by Ashley.” Playing in a strong, constant wind all night long, fly balls were getting caught up in the air, which is why Wawasee coach Cory Schutz would have preferred to have seen a few more grounders out of his girls. “It’s tough with the wind, because the ball is doing all kinds of funny things,” he said. “We also didn’t get the good, solid contact that they got,” he added. “They’re hitting line drives and ground balls, and were able to find some holes and forced us to make some plays. We were hitting some pop ups, which granted, were tough today, but the ball holds up in the wind. That gives them the chance to make the catch.” And Ousley’s catch was on such a pop up, regardless of how hard it was hit. “She made a real nice play,” Schutz said about the Ousley nab. The Lady Warriors threatened again in the seventh, as sophomore Ashlynn Fisher hit a one-out single, followed by a hit by junior Kylie Norris. However, on Norris’ single, Fisher was thrown out trying to take third, then O’Hara got her third strikeout of the game to end things. “Cari O’Hara’s been throwing some nice ball for us lately,” Speicher said about the winning pitcher, who didn’t give up an earned run. “She got the win Saturday against Columbia City, throwing a five hitter. Today, she didn’t walk anybody and made them put the ball in play. She’s doing a really fine job for us.” For Wawasee, a familiar theme of being unable to plate runs played out. In the loss, Wawasee left six runners on base, five of which were in scoring position, two at third. “We’ve kind of struggled with that all year long,” Schutz said. “Offensively, we’re struggling right now. We need to get some things straightened out a little bit.” Both teams return to NLC play Wednesday, as Warsaw hosts Goshen and Wawasee welcomes Elkhart Memorial to Syracuse.
