NOKOMIS – Marquette Catholic pitcher Taylor Whitehead did a little bit of everything, allowing Nokomis one hit, striking out eight, and also helped herself with three hits and three RBIs as the Explorers defeated the Redskins 11-0 in a make-up game at Nokomis High to decide the South Central Conference championship.
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The Explorers scored a run in the top of the first, starting with a one-out single by Jada Johnson, who stole second and scored on a Whitehead single to center to make it 1-0. Marquette then scored four more times in the second, beginning with a lead-off walk to Carli Foersterling and a two-out pass to Hayley Porter. Kiley Beth Kirchner singled to score Foersterling, then Johnson doubled home Porter and Kirchner, and Whitehead singled home Johnson to make it 5-0 after two innings.
Kirchner led off the Marquette fourth with a base hit, stole second, and Whitehead was then hit by a pitch. Kirchner then stole third and scored on an error by the third baseman on the play to make it 6-0. Sydney Ehrman and Porter drew walks to load the bases, and a Foersterling double to center scored two more runs. Allena Brass’ infield single scored Porter with the Explorers’ ninth run.
The Redskins had their best chance to score in the bottom of the inning, starting with Delayney Keiser’s bunt single to lead off the inning, which would be the only Nokomis hit of the game. Keiser was sacrificed to second by Baylee Cesaretti, but a strikeout and a lineout to center sandwiched around a walk, ended the inning.
Marquette scored their final two runs in the fifth, with a one-out walk to Johnson and a stolen base, a Whitehead double to score Johnson, courtesy runner Natalie Wills going to third on an error, and a ground out by Ehrman to score Wills, making it 11-0. Whitehead retired the side in order to get the win, the game being called due to the 10-run rule.
The Explorers conclude their season with a 21-9 record.
