It took a little bit, but the Wright City softball team took advantage of its opportunities offensively to defeat Valley Park 5-0 last Thursday.

With the win, the Lady Wildcats extended their win streak to three games and improved to 5-4 on the year. 

While the win wasn’t perfect, Wright City Head Coach Fred Ross will take it.

“We stranded some early and we were just trying to crush balls instead of trying to get some line drives and playing our game,” Ross said. “That’s what I told the girls in our meeting. When we put the ball in play and make people have to play defense, we are usually pretty successful.”

The score remained knotted at 0-0 for four innings, with Wright City finally breaking the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman Summer Boswell started things off with a double to the gap in left center. After a wild pitch put Boswell at third, a single by Riley Heiliger plated the first run of the game. 

But the Lady Wildcats weren’t done. 

After a double by junior Leah Vossen, and with first base empty, Valley Park intentionally walked junior Abbie Jaspering to load up the bases. Melissa Locke made her opponents pay with an RBI single to right to make the score 2-0. A bases-clearing double by Madelyn Webb rounded out the scoring and put the game out of reach for Valley Park.

“We’re working on things and focusing pretty well,” Ross said. “We’ve just got to be a bit more precise in some things. We wasted a few opportunities to get runners over and score runners in scoring position with two outs. We have a tendency to not choke up on our swing a little bit and we’re really working on that as a team.”

Valley Park knocked on the door in the top of the third inning when Leslie Ballard singled to right to open the inning. A sacrifice bunt by Jordan Nelson and a wild pitch put Ballard at third with two outs. 

But Wright City pitcher Macy Evans got a ground out to end the inning and the threat.

Evans pitched a complete-game shutout for the Wildcats, allowing four hits and striking out six. The senior walked one.

Ross said the Wildcats are fortunate to have three solid options on the mound. 

“She did a good job,” Ross said of Evans. “It’s her first full game since she’s come in in relief a few times. It’s nice to have three pitchers that can throw strikes and throw it to anybody. With the tournament and four games next week, we’re going to need that.”

Wright City also threatened in the third inning when Heiliger reached on an error with one out in the inning. Heiliger advanced to third on a bloop single by junior Leah Vossen. Valley Park pitcher Amanda Kraus got the strikeout to get out of the jam.

Kraus took the loss, allowing eight hits and striking out four.

Vossen and Webb led the way offensively for Wright City with two hits apiece. Vossen has been an offensive juggernaut for the Wildcats with a .517 average on the year. Vossen has also had hits in eight of Wright City’s nine games.

SOLID DEFENSE — Jessica Williams throws out a Silex base runner Monday afternoon. The Wildcats won, 15-4, to improve to 6-4 on the year. Check out page 3B for more coverage. Kory Carpenter photo.