Makayla Witthaus hit a single with two outs in the eighth inning to help Warrenton win their second straight district title.
Warrenton beat Parkway North 2-1 in eight innings to win another district title. Witthaus’ single with two strikes and two outs in the eighth inning scored Kiera Daniel to send Warrenton to the state quarterfinal round in the Class 4 state tournament.
“It feels great,” Witthaus said of hitting the walkoff single. “When I saw it get through, I was filled with emotion.”
Warrenton coach Chad Berrey stressed the freshman’s composure in delivering the walkoff hit for the Lady Warriors. Berrey said Witthaus had two great at-bats in Friday’s district final in the team’s toughest and most stressful situation all year.
“She showed incredible maturity by taking a deep breath, staying within herself and then just hitting a straight ball on a line up the middle,” Berrey said. “In all honesty, it doesn’t feel real. You win districts back-to-back years in extra innings. So crazy feelings.”
Daniel scored from third base on the single for the Lady Warriors. Daniel reached on an infield single with one out in the eighth inning. After Parkway North pitcher Addy Denny retired Audrey Lanzone, Daniel was able to move from first base to third base on a ball that got past Parkway North catcher Jenna Teakert to set up Witthaus’ game-winning single.
“Teakert is the best catcher that we’ve seen all year,” Berrey said. “I would say one of the top two catchers in the state of Missouri throwing arm wise. So the game plan is we’re not stealing. We’re not going to steal on her. So we were base to base. Kiera is one of probably our best baserunners. The ball got away and with her speed she was on three before they could find the ball.”
Warrenton broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning on Kylie Witthaus’ RBI single. The Vikings mounted a pair of late inning rallies and eventually tied the game in the seventh inning. In the sixth inning, Kylie Witthaus pitched around a bases loaded, one out jam. After the first two baserunners reached base, Parkway North leadoff hitter Katelyn Graham executed a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third base with one out in the inning. Berrey elected to walk Teakert to load the bases with one out in the inning. Berrey noted Teakert hits over .500 and the Lady Warriors were not going to let her beat them.
Denny worked a full count against Witthaus with the bases loaded and one out. With nowhere to put Denny, Witthaus struck out Denny looking for the second out of the inning.
“It was the pitch I love to throw,” Kylie Witthaus said. “It was the one I am most confident in. Berrey knows that so that’s why he picked that one probably. It was just me saying this is your pitch, you’ve got this. Go get her.”
Witthaus got Rachel Ross to fly out to center field to get Warrenton out of the inning with the lead.
After Warrenton went 1-2-3 in the sixth inning, Parkway North mounted another rally and was able to score to tie the game. Raina Ross led off the inning with a triple and scored on Claire Kinnamore’s sacrifice fly to right field. Witthaus struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning with the game still tied.
After Warrenton went down in order in the bottom of the seventh inning and Parkway North did the same in the top of the eighth, Warrenton scored the game-winning run to win the district title.
Warrenton’s lone senior starter this season, Mackenzie Hurst, said the Lady Warriors overcame stressful moments in the late innings to win the district title.
“It was really nervous. Very jittery,” Hurst said. “But once I talked to everybody, told them to keep calm. I kept myself calm. It was very emotional to win again. We all cried.”
Kylie Witthaus was also part of last year’s district championship team but said there was a different set of emotions winning the district title while pitching in the game this season.
“It is very exhilarating,” Witthaus said. “Especially being on the mound this time. It was a whole different set of emotions coming at me. But the atmosphere’s just cool and I love the intensity of it. And I am so ready to go win again.”
Warrenton is slated to square off against Incarnate Word in the state quarterfinals  today. This year’s game will be played at 3:30 p.m. at Warrenton High School. Warrenton lost to Incarnate Word 3-2 in the state quarterfinals last year. The game last year was played at Incarnate Word.
“We prepare now,” Hurst said last Friday. “We start practicing on Monday. This year, we get to host the sectional game so I think that’ll be a big game changer. I think that will help us a lot. We have everything under control. We just need to work on little things.”
Berrey noted the Lady Warriors accomplished their goal of winning another district title. He said any additional postseason success is a bonus. However, he stressed on Friday he was confident going into today's state quarterfinal matchup.
“I’m feeling very enthusiastic and very confident going in against Incarnate Word,” Berrey said. “But in the postseason, anything can happen. So we prepare. I talk to my sources and get a good gameplan going. These girls have been incredibly coachable down the stretch. So we’ll have an approach and we’ll attack Incarnate Word with what we’ve got.”