‘Cats Advance To Sectional Title
LAGRANGE – The wins keep on coming for the Whitko softball team. The Wildcats picked up their second win of the postseason by downing West Noble 6-3 and punched a ticket to the Sectional 21 title game.
“I’m so excited right now,” began a jubilant Aly Nicodemus, a Whitko senior. “In my time here we’ve never even made it past the first game. Now we’ve won two games and get to play for the championship. So, this is big and I love this team and wouldn’t want anybody else behind me.”
Nicodemus got her team going early as part of a two-run first inning. An RBI double by Whitney Marsh scored Anna Ousley and was followed up by an RBI double from Nicodemus, scoring Marsh to put the Wildcats up 2-0 early.
Whitko held onto that lead until the third inning when West Noble took advantage of an error to score its first run of the game. Alexis Morris would later drive in Kaylie Warble to tie the game 2-2. But Whitko would not stay down for long.
In the bottom of the third the ‘Cats would regain the lead thanks to RBIs from Marsh and Kennedy Krull. Ousley and Haley Yohe scored for Whitko in the frame. Emily Day batted in Krull in the fifth while Whitko picked up some more insurance in the sixth on an RBI from Riley Insley.
Hanna Yohe started the game for Whitko and would get the victory while Nicodemus pitched the final three innings for the Wildcats. Nicodemus recorded three strikeouts and the duo combined to give up eight hits.
Though Yohe struggled in the third inning, that did not affect her play in the field nor did it alter her enthusiasm after the win. The sophomore made it clear that her team is beyond excited for the opportunity Thursday night will present.
“We haven’t played Fairfield yet so we don’t know much about them other than the fact that they knocked us out last year, so, we’re our for blood this time,” the competitive Yohe said with a smile. “If we come in with the mindset that we had tonight, then we can definitely win this thing.”
Ousley, Krull, Marsh and Day all had one hit each for Whitko. Nicodemus and Maddie Gawthrop each had two hits.
Whitko (16-7) will be playing for its first sectional title since 2005 and fourth all-time. Fairfield (21-6) will be playing for its first title since 2013 and second all-time.
First pitch for the Sectional 21 championship is slated for 7:00 p.m. Thursday night.