Tori Kniesche threw another masterpiece on Thursday, striking out 20 batters for the fourth time this season and throwing her fourth consecutive no-hitter as Wayne defeated Columbus 3-1 Thursday at the Summer Sports Complex.
Kniesche had not given up a hit in four games this week and allowed just eight baserunners in the last 20 innings, including two walks given up in Thursday’s matchup with the Discoverers.
One of those walks turned into Columbus’ only run of the game, which came after two passed balls and an error that gave the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
Wayne tied the game up in the third when Kendall Dorey led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kayla Fleming and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kniesche. They broke the tie in the fifth, thanks to RBI singles by Brianna Nissen and Taytum Sweetland that scored Dorey and Brooklyn Kruse with the go-ahead runs.
Kniesche struck out the side in each of the first six innings and struck the first batter out in the seventh before serving up a ground ball to Fleming at second base for the second out. She recorded her 20th strikeout to end the game and record her 10th no-hitter of the season (seven of which are counted with more than three innings played). She has 235 strikeouts in 86 1/3 innings pitched and has allowed only 16 hits in 16 games this season.
Dorey was 3-for-3 and Aliah Schulz added two hits to lead the 17-3 Blue Devils, who are off until next Thursday’s game at Wisner-Pilger.
