The top-ranked Wayne High softball team was tested, but came away unscathed as they claimed the championship Saturday in the Adams Central Invitational.
Wayne slammed Polk County 19-2 and got a perfect game from Tori Kniesche to blank Cozad 8-0 before needed a three-run fifth inning to come from behind to beat the host Patriots in the championship game, 6-5.
In the first game, Kayla Fleming hit two home runs and drove in five runs, including one that was part of a 13-run first inning where Wayne batted around twice. Tori Kniesche had a two-run homer in the opening stanza, and Fleming hit her second dinger in the second to highlight a 3-for-4 effort at the plate.
Josie Thompson had two hits as part of the 12-hit attack. Fleming and Nicole Fertig each scored three times and Hope O’Reilly, Virginia Kniesche and Annie Kniesche each scored twice. Kendall Dorey got the win, allowing two hits and striking out seven in three innings.
In the semifinals, Tori Kniesche threw her second perfect game of the season, using just 63 pitches to strike out all 15 Haymakers she faced in an 8-0 win.
Wayne only led 1-0 going to the fourth, scoring on a Sidney Biggerstaff first-inning RBI single, but erupted for seven in the fourth to put the game out of reach. Annie Kniesche’s three-run homer capped the big inning.
Biggerstaff was 3-for-3 to lead an eight-hit effort, while Fleming scored twice in the game.
Wayne improved to 23-0 with the win over the host team, but it wasn’t easy as they trailed 5-3 going to the fifth.
In the bottom of the inning, Wayne came through with three runs to take the lead. Annie Kniesche brought Fleming home with a double, then came home on a Biggerstaff double to left to tie the game. With two out, Abby Ankeny took the first pitch to right, scoring Virginia Kniesche, who was a courtesy runner for Tori Kniesche after she reached on a walk.
Adams Central strung together a pair of one-out singles in the bottom of the inning, but Kniesche struck out the final two batters to end the championship.
Four of Wayne’s six hits in the win were extra-base hits, as Biggerstaff, Maysn Dorey, Annie Kniesche and Kendall Dorey each had doubles. Tori Kniesche fanned 10 and scattered four hits and two walks in the win. She also gave up her first home run of the season.
The Blue Devils face Logan View/Scribner-Snyder on Tuesday in Scribner and play at Guardian Angels Central Catholic on Thursday before Mid State Conference tournament play in O’Neill on Saturday.
