Down to their last two outs, the Wayne Blue Devils softball team turned to the girl who had carried them all season in the pitcher's circle.
Tori Kniesche found a 1-0 pitch to her liking and launched her fifth home run of the day, a three-run blast that easily cleared the center field fence, to bring Wayne back from the dead.
Beatrice made one last effort, but Kniesche came up with a key double play and Amara Hurlbert caught the final out on the first base side in foul territory to give the Blue Devils a 5-3 win and the 2019 Class B State Softball Championship, ending a wild three-game run with their second straight state title at Smith Softball Complex.
Kniesche, who has set numerous state records in the pitching circle this season, was a terror at the plate during Wayne's win-or-else trifecta of games. She ended Wayne's 9-1 win over Seward with a two-run shot, then hit a pair of home runs in a 6-1 win over the Lady Orange to force the winner-take-all game, where she homered again to stake Wayne to an early 2-0 lead.
Beatrice came back with single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to lead 3-2 and were three outs away from a state title when Wayne made its epic comeback.
With one out, Hurlbert worked a walk and Kendall Dorey followed with a single to set up Kniesche's heroics. After taking the first pitch, she sent the second one over the fence and was greeted by her teammates at home. The Blue Devils shut down Beatrice's last hopes, as the Lady Orange had two runners on base before Kniesche got Hannah Lytle to pop out to Hurlbert, who caught the ball in front of her dugout to start the celebration.
The Blue Devils finished the season 35-4 and will celebrate with a pep rally at Wayne High School on Monday.
