Softball Extends Season After Winning WHAC Tournament Elimination Game

(Sylvania, OH)-- The Cleary Cougar softball team made their first WHAC tournament appearance since the 2020-21 season, and staved off elimination to extend their season after splitting their two games Wednesday evening at Pacesetter Park in Sylvania, Ohio.

In Game 1 vs. #1 Seed Madonna:  The Crusaders jumped out to a three run first inning lead off starting pitcher Caitlynn Duffey, and added another run in the bottom of the third to take a 4-0 lead.  Cleary would respond in the top of the fourth, when they scored a pair of runs.  Mckenzie Latshaw and Mia Rzepka each singled to lead off the inning, and Kate Currie brought Latshaw home on an RBI double.  The next batter, Jenna Wagenschutz, scored Rzepka on a sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 4-2.  Madonna would get out of the inning with further damage, and answered the Cougar rally with another pair of runs to take a 6-2 lead.  The Crusaders added another three runs in the bottom of the sixth, and held on to win by a 9-2 score.

Caitlynn Duffey would suffer the loss, allowing 4 runs on 2 hits in 2 innings.   Sonya Terleckyj allowed 5 runs in 4 innings in relief.  Mckenzie Latshaw, Mia Rzepka, Kate Currie, and Jenna Wagenschutz each provided a hit for the Cougar attack.  The loss sent Cleary to the consolation bracket, where they were matched up with the Indiana Tech Warriors, who lost their opening round game to Concordia 4-1.

In Game 2 vs. #5 Seed Indiana Tech:  After Mia Rzepka and Kate Currie each reached, Jenna Wagenschutz brought Rzepka home to score the opening run on an RBI single.  The next batter was Jessica Garmen, who hit a bomb of a home run to straightaway centerfield, scoring three more runs, and giving Cleary a 4-0 lead.  It was her team leading tenth home run of the season.  A Kate Currie RBI single in the second made it 5-0.  Izabell Estes would score on a throwing error in the third, and Grace Pasterik singled to score Grace MacCaughan to give the Cougars a 7-0 advantage through three innings.  The Warriors would score a pair of runs in the fifth to make the score 7-2, but the Cougars would answer again in the sixth inning.  After Mckenzie Latshaw and Mia Rzepka each got on base, Jenna Wagenschutz hit her first home run of the season to left-center, and Cleary would take a 10-2 lead.  Things would get interesting late, as Indiana Tech scored two more runs in the sixth, and four runs in the seventh, but it would not be enough, as Cleary held on to win 10-8.

Halle Dargie earned her seventh win, allowing four runs on 8 hits in 5.1 innings pitched.  Miz Rzepka, Jenna Wagenschutz, Maddie Bunkoske, and Grace MacCaughan all had multiple hits for the Cougars.

The game two victory keeps the Cleary season alive, as they advance to play on day two of the WHAC tournament on Thursday at Pacesetter Park.  They will take on the #2-seed UNOH Racers in an elimination game at 12:00 PM.