The Wayne Dirt Devils 12-under softball team had a successful home debut, but it wasn't easy as they had to hang on for a 13-10 win over the Norfolk Golden Girls in action Tuesday at the Summer Sports Complex.
The home team scored five runs in the first inning and led 10-3 after four innings, but the visitors came back and made a game of it before the Dirt Devils were able to hang on for the win.
The Dirt Devils put up five runs in the opening frame, using RBI singles by Kendall Dorey and Aliah Schulz. Three errors also brought runs home in the big first inning.
Wayne got another run in the third on a passed ball before the Golden Girls scored two in the fourth to make it a 6-3 game. Wayne got four more in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Brianna Nissen. She came home when Virginia Knische reached on an error to make it 10-3.
The Golden Girls kept things close, though, scoring four more in the top of the fifth and three in the sixth. The Dirt Devils got two runs in the bottom of the fifth, one coming on an RBI single by Mikaela McManigal, and they added another insurance run in the sixth on Nissen's RBI groundout to put the game out of reach.
Hope O'Reilly led an 11-hit effort with three hits and three runs scored. Schulz and Chloe Klug each had two hits, and Schulz, Madyson Sievers and Brooklyn Kruse each scored twice.
Dorey got the win in the circle, striking out 11 and walking four while allowing five hits and two earned runs in six innings for the 5-1-1 Dirt Devils.
The 12-under Devils are back home Tuesday, May 31 for a 7:30 p.m. game against Wisner.
