The Wayne High softball team had no troubles bringing home the Mid State Conference title Saturday, defeating host O’Neill 10-0 and blasting Guardian Angels Central Catholic 14-2 in the championship game.
In the opener, Tori Kniesche threw her eighth no-hitter of the season and first perfect game, setting down all 12 O’Neill batters on strikeouts.
Kniesche helped her cause with a three-run homer that set off a 10-run third inning for the 26-3 Blue Devils. Wayne had just two hits in the big inning, the other a two-run single by Kniesche that scored Kennedy Maly and Annie Kniesche.
Maly and Annie Kniesche also had hits and each scored twice as the Blue Devils needed just four hits in the game to move on to the finals. Maly drove in two runs while Jenna Trenhaile and Masyn Dorey each drove in a run.
In the finals, Wayne lit up the Bluejays with 11 runs in the second inning and scored two more in the third to end the game on the 12-run mercy rule.
The big hit in the second inning was a grand slam homer by Jenna Trenhaile. Tori Kniesche and Jamie Gamble also had RBI singles in the inning. The game ended in the third when Kniesche hit a two-run homer to left, scoring sister Annie Kniesche to finish a two-hit, five RBI effort at the plate.
Dorey was 3-for-3 and scored three runs for Wayne, while Josie Thompson singled and scored twice. Trenhaile and Annie Kniesche also scored two runs apiece, and Sidney Biggerstaff and Kayla Fleming also scored runs.
Kniesche threw a three-hitter in the championship game, striking out six and walking one.
Wayne closes out the regular season with a Monday evening matchup with South Sioux City at the Summer Sports Complex.
