WARDSVILLE - Blair Oaks head coach Sharon Buschjost inserted Brooke Boessen as a pinch runner as the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning of Monday's game with Hickman.
It paid off when Boessen advanced to second on a wild pitch and then alertly moved up another 90 feet when she realized no one was covering third.
Boessen gave the Lady Falcons the winning run in a 3-2 decision when she scored just ahead of the tag on a fly ball that was lifted to short right field by Mackinnley Hamacher.
Buschjost said she was confident in putting Boessen in the game after Natalie Mudd got the inning started with a single over second base.
"The wild pitch proved why Brooke's speed made the difference," Buschjost said. "Not just getting to second base, but looking to see third unoccupied and get there quickly. ... That right there shows maturity."
Megan Mitchem got the win in the circle. She gave up three earned runs on 65 pitches, while striking out three and walking none. She gave up a run in the first inning off a Lauren Haeussler RBI groundout to score Cassie Martin, who got the rally going with a single up the middle.
"I think she had to make some adjustments early. She's a pitcher that lives on the corners. She understands her pitching game and where she needs to be. ... She kind of hit her stride and gave us some solid innings there after a little bit of a shaky start."
Mudd led off the second inning for the Lady Falcons with a single. She scored to tie the game at 1 when Kaitlyn Otto hit an RBI double.
Otto stole third base when the Hickman catcher mishandled an outside pitch. Her throw sailed into left field to give Blair Oaks a 2-1 lead.
Mitchem settled in to throw four scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits during the stretch.
Haeussler countered with three scoreless for Hickman as the Lady Falcons stranded seven baserunners.
"About the fourth I started to think that very thing, stranding a lot of runners, hopefully we'll keep getting opportunities and make something happen," Buschjost said. "It wasn't a comfortable lead at 2-1, but it was a lead. But then with one swing of the bat we were tied. So then it kind of changed the feel of the game."
Hickman's Taylor Spencer hit a solo home run in the sixth to tie the game at 2.
Makenna Kliethermes pitched the seventh for the save. She gave up one single to start the inning and walked two to load the bases after getting the first two outs. Brittany Nelson grounded out to Mudd, who touched first base for the Lady Falcons' victory.
The Blair Oaks JV beat Hickman 7-2.
Kliethermes struck out eight for the win in the circle. Kayla Jones had two singles and two RBI, while Kliethermes had two singles and one RBI.
III
On Saturday, the Blair Oaks varsity wrapped up play in the Kewpie Classic by going 1-1.
Blair Oaks started the day with an 8-1 win against Hickman.
Payton Staggs was the winning pitcher, as she worked the first five innings and allowed one run on six hits while striking out eight. Kliethermes worked the final inning and gave up one hit while striking out two.
Mudd had two hits, including a two-run home run, and drove in four runs. Staggs had a single and a two-run homer and Hannah Schroeder had one hit and two RBI.
Blair Oaks then lost 13-0 in five innings to Blue Springs.
Kliethermes started and took the loss. She gave up 10 runs (three earned) on six hits and four walks while striking out one in 22/3 innings. Mitchem finished up and allowed three runs on three hits in 11/3 innings.
Blair Oaks had just three hits in the game, one each from Staggs, Kliethermes and Peyton Kusgen.