Williamsburg's Carly Wagers struck out 15 batters in the Lady Wildcats' win over Covington in the district final on Saturday, May 20, 2017.

Williamsburg's Emma Jeffers makes a catch on the infield dirt in the Lady Wildcats' 9-0 win over Covington on Saturday, May 20, 2017.

By Garth Shanklin
Sports Editor

Williamsburg's Rylee Clark makes contact for the Lady Wildcats in the district final at Mason High School on Saturday, May 20, 2017.

For the third straight season, the Williamsburg Lady Wildcats’ softball team gathered in the outfield to pose with a district championship trophy.
This year, the Lady Wildcats returned to the same field the team won the title at in 2016. The squad traveled to Mason High School to take on Covington, a team that entered play at 18-8 on the season. Much like last year, Williamsburg dominated in the circle and at the plate en route to a 9-0 victory.
After starting pitcher Carly Wagers and the Lady Wildcats worked around a one-out walk in the top of the first inning, the Williamsburg offense went to work in the bottom of the frame.
Faith Golden was hit with a pitch and Wagers was intentionally walked, putting two runners on with one out. However, a groundout and a strikeout kept the game scoreless through the first inning.

Williamsburg's Faith Golden is hit by a pitch in the Lady Wildcats' 9-0 win over Covington in Mason on Saturday, May 20, 2017.

Covington put a pair of runners on base with two outs in their half of the second inning, but Wagers strikeout ended the frame.
Williamsburg cracked the scoring column in a rather unconventional way in their half of the second inning.
Kara Bailey led off the inning with a walk. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Emma Jeffers. Jacee Rhone then drew a base on balls, putting two on with one out. Hailey Speeg moved both runners over with a bunt, setting up Peyton Fisher with two outs.

Williamsburg's Carly Wagers struck out 15 batters in the Lady Wildcats' win over Covington in the district final on Saturday, May 20, 2017.

Fisher hit a single into left field that scored Speeg, giving Williamsburg a 1-0 lead. Golden was hit with another pitch to load the bases for Wagers, who entered play the state record holder for both home runs and RBI in a season.
Covington allowed her to add to the latter total, intentionally walking Wagers with the bases loaded to give Williamsburg a 2-0 lead. Head coach Rick Healey said the decision was one that shows how much “respect” opposing teams have for Wagers as a hitter.
“It shows a lot of respect for Carly and what she can potentially do,” Healey said. “At some point, I think I throw to her. She’s hit a lot of home runs, but she’s made outs. I don’t know, it’s a catch-22.”
Clark followed with a bloop single into center field that plated two more Lady Wildcats, pushing their lead to 4-0.
Covington’s only hit came in the third inning, a one-out double that was left stranded when Wagers struck out back-to-back hitters to end the frame.
Williamsburg added two more runs in the third inning. Jeffers was hit with a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. One batter later, Speeg walks. Fisher singled and scored Jeffers, with Speeg scoring on a bad throw. Fisher was retired at second base to end the inning with Williamsburg on top 6-0.
Golden turned on a pitch to open the fourth inning for Williamsburg, cranking a home run into left field for a 7-0 lead. The Lady Wildcats scored two more runs in the final three innings of a 9-0 victory.
“It’s incredibly awesome,” Healey said. “For some reason, I was just a little more nervous about this one. I’m not sure why. It’s the girls’ third, and there was more of a relaxed attitude versus ‘I’m so excited, I’m coming out of my shoes.’”
Covington hitters were certainly swinging out of their shoes trying to keep up with Wagers, who struck out 15 batters in the game, including eight of nine from the fourth to the sixth inning.
“[Wagers] threw a magnificent game,” Healey said. “I felt bad for her because she didn’t get a chance to hit, but that’s all right. If you want to walk a run in the second or third inning, that’s all right with me. A run’s a run.”
Wagers finished the game without an official at-bat, yet she knocked in a run. Kacey Smith and Tori Steinhaus each scored runs as courtesy runners for Wagers.
The Lady Wildcats checked in at number six in the state softball poll, released on May 22. The team was scheduled to face third-ranked Parkway in the regional semifinals in Greenville, Ohio on Wednesday, May 24. The Lady Wildcats defeated Parkway 6-2, clinching a spot in the regional finals. Williamsburg returns to action on Saturday, May 27 at noon against the winner of Riverside and Franklin Monroe.