Wayne got a key hit from Aliah Schulz and took advantage of some late defensive miscues to back up senior pitcher Tori Kniesche's 25th career no-hitter as the Class B No. 6 Blue Devils edged the Class C No. 2 Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays 3-0 in a key softball showdown Thursday at the Wayne Sports Complex.
Neither team could get anything going for the first four innings offensively, but Wayne manufactured a run in the fifth when Aliah Schulz tripled to right field and scored two pitches later on a wild pitch.
Wayne picked up two insurance runs in the sixth when Kayla Fleming came all the way around from first on a throwing error and Hope O'Reilly scored on a wild pitch.
That was all Kniesche needed, as she struck out the first 14 batters she faced and gave up only a hit batsman with two out in the sixth as the only baserunner for the Bluejays.
Earlier in the evening, Wayne won a rescheduled game over Logan View/Scribner-Snyder 10-0, scoring five in the first with the help of a solo homer by Kniesche, a two-run double by Schulz and an RBI groundout by Taytum Sweetland.
Schulz and Brooklyn Kruse both added an RBI single in the second and Fleming had an RBI single in the third to lead the offensive attack. Kniesche gave up a leadoff bunt single in the third as the only blemish in a 10-strikeout, one-hit shutout.
The 23-3 Blue Devils will host the Mid State Conference tournament on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m.
