The softball game on Tuesday afternoon was not decided after 7 innings, or 8, or 9. Finally in the 10th, Jocelyn Sheffield, sophomore, led off the inning with a triple and eventually scored the winning run on a ground ball by Brynn Benes, sophomore. The Cats defeated Ursuline Academy 3-2 marking the first victory of the season at home on Monday.
Shay Weststeyn, senior, threw a complete game only allowing one earned run and striking out 15 batters. Not all her work was done on the hill. She also contributed at the plate where she led the team with 2 hits. One of the top players in the area, Weststeyn threw her longest outing as a Wildcat and held a tough Ursuline team to 5 hits. The game lasted more than two and a half hours.
The Wildcats looked to be in trouble after a bunt single, a stolen base, a poorly executed rundown, and a single driving in the run in the top of the 7th. In the bottom of the frame, Suzanne Weston, senior, walked with one down and Weststeyn singled up the middle. The ball bounced past the centerfielder and Weston moved from first to home to score the tying run. After two intentional walks, Ellie Huffman, sophomore, hit a grounder to the third base, but Weststeyn was thrown out at home on a controversial call.
The thrills did not end there in the first game of the year against a top class 4 powerhouse. Every Wildcat starter got on base through a total of 9 hits and 8 walks. Huffman began the scoring with a leadoff double in the fifth and then Benes scored her on a base hit.
“All three of our runs were produced by each part of our lineup and this shows that everyone helped the team win,” said Weststeyn, a Point Loma commit.
Todd Worrell, head coach, will lead a team that did not lose any seniors last year and returns their whole lineup. The team gained Katie Matheny, freshman, who will start in the outfield. Still an overall young team, the Cats are loaded with 5 sophomores.
The next softball game will be played at Westminster vs. Lutheran South on Wednesday at 4:15.