By Tim Schmidt Record Managing Editor Despite being shaken by a head-first slide into home plate, the idea to take a break never crossed the mind of Warrenton’s Kaylee Anderson. “I wasn’t …
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Anderson, Warriors hammer Helias in semifinals
Posted
By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorDespite being shaken by a head-first slide into home plate, the idea to take a break never crossed the mind of Warrenton’s Kaylee Anderson.“I wasn’t sitting,” the junior second baseman said. “I was going to play the last inning.”Her bat, along with the help of her teammates, helped make quick work of Jeff City Helias in the Class 3 semifinals Friday.The Warriors pounded out 15 hits, led by Anderson’s four-hit performance, to beat the Crusaders 15-3 in six innings at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield.With the win, Warrenton (27-2) advanced to face Cape Notre Dame in Saturday’s state championship game. Notre Dame defeated Lafayette (St. Joseph) 10-3 in the other semifinal.“When the girls come out swinging the bats and playing defense like that, Taylor (Nordwald) pitched a great game, it happened like it was supposed to,” head Coach Trevor Hibbs said. “It was a big game for them. I tell everybody in this lineup they can be a hero at any time.”Anderson led the way this game.She went 4-for-5 at the plate with four RBIs and scored two runs. She hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning when the Warriors extended their lead to 5-0.The only time she didn’t reach base was in the first inning when she smashed a line drive straight at the center fielder.“I was really relaxed,” Anderson said. “I wasn’t thinking about it and saw pitches I liked and hit them.”In the top of the sixth, Anderson led off with a liner to left field and came around to score on a squeeze bunt from Amanda LaFaver. However, she banged up her shoulder on the play when she slid into the catcher’s shin guard.Despite the pain, Anderson batted later in the inning and smoked a three-run line drive to the fence to clear the bases for the game’s final runs.“To be going to the championship means the world,” Anderson said.Warrenton junior Jenny Jansen had three hits, while seniors Erica Rugh and LaFaver each had two hits in the win. LaFaver scored three runs, while sophomores Kelsey Huenefeld and Amanda Vehlewald each crossed the plate twice.Vehlewald also had a crushing blow midway through the game. She hit a two-out, two-run blast over the center field fence to give Warrenton an 8-2 cushion in the third inning.“As soon as I saw it, I knew it was gone,” Vehlewald said.The offensive support backed the pitching of senior Taylor Nordwald. The right-hander allowed just three hits to earn the win. She struck out eight and walked two. Only one of the three runs allowed were earned.“Even when we don’t get ahead right away, I don’t have any doubt with our lineup,” Nordwald said. “It definitely did help out at the beginning to know we already had four runs and they had zero at the start.”The Warriors scored four runs in the top of the first inning, with Jansen, Rugh and Nordwald each having run-scoring hits. They chased Helias starter Lindsey Steinbeck seven batters into the game. Abbi Pringer came in relief and didn’t fare much better. She was replaced by Steinbeck in the final inning.The Crusaders trimmed the deficit to 5-2 in the third inning, aided by two fielding errors on the same play. However, Warrenton answered with a three-run third, including the long ball from Vehlewald. Nordwald retired nine of the final 11 batters she faced. Helias’ final run was a home run in the fifth.“I don’t get too stressed out on the mound when we win like this,” Nordwald said.The victory was just another chapter in the historical playoff run.“To be part of the team that has made history is so unbelievable,” Rugh said.
Sophomore Amanda Vehlewald, center, is congratulated at home plate after crushing a two-run home run.
