By Cort Reynolds
The handcuffed Bluffton softball team did not put a runner on base in losing a 10-0 loss at Coldwater in the Div. III sectional finals Friday evening, May 12.
Cavalier junior pitcher Madison Wendel threw a five-inning perfect game in the run-rule shortened contest.
Wendel struck out a dozen Pirates to record 12 of the 15 outs by whiffs. She faced the minimum 15 batters to record the victory.
Bluffton ends its season 10-12 after the loss.
The Cavalier girls improved to 21-6 with the shutout win, and advanced to the district semifinals.
Coldwater jumped on top with five runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Cavaliers plated two runs in the home second, then tacked on three more in the bottom of the fourth to stretch their lead to 10.
Wendel then set Bluffton down in order in the top of the fifth frame to invoke the 10-run rule.
Wendel helped herself at the plate with three singles, two runs scored and two runs batted in.
Pirate Hannah Davis struck out two, walked three and gave up eight earned runs on nine hits to take the pitching loss.
Claire Steinke slugged a two-run double and scored two runs for Coldwater. Dana Zahn hit a double, singled and scored a run.
Cavalier Kendra Clune collected a hit, one run and one RBI. Jordan Hemmelgarn singled home a run. Rachel Schroyer scored two runs and singled.
Avery Knapke scored a run and knocked one in. Sydney Grieshop tallied the other Cavalier run.
123 456 7 R H E
BLU 000 00x x 0 0 1
COLD 523 0xxx 10 9 0
WP-Wendel LP-Davis
2B-Steinke (C), Zahn (C)
BLUFFTON IP H R ER BB SO HR
Hannah Davis 4.0 9 10 8 3 2 0
COLDWATER
M Wendel 5.0 0 0 0 0 12 0
LOB--BLUFFTON 0, COLDWATER 2.
ERR--Lauren Bassett.
2B--Steinke, D Zahn.
WP--Hannah Davis (3).
SO--Danielle Cross, Lauren Bassett, Dyllan Worcester, Karliegh Davis (2), Hannah Davis (2), Olivia Hobensack (2), Olivia Matthews (2), Faith Maple, S Grieshop, J Hemmelgarn.
BB--S Grieshop, A Knapke, R Schroyer.
