MOKANE, Mo. - Blair Oaks softball coach Sharon Buschjost isn't a superstitious person.
The Lady Falcons captured the Class 2 District 9 championship Saturday with an 8-0 win against the Fatima Lady Comets, marking the 13th straight district title for Blair Oaks.
"Any district title is a good title," said Buschjost, who has won 18 district championships in 23 years at Blair Oaks. "Whether it's one or 13, makes no difference to me. I'm perfectly fine with that.
"It matches our pitcher's uniform number."
No. 13 has been lucky for Makenna Kliethermes. The Blair Oaks senior pitcher retired all but one batter she faced in Saturday's win, striking out 16 Lady Comets.
Fatima's lone baserunner was Chesney Luebbering, who reached on a bunt single to lead off the third inning.
Kliethermes shut out Fatima in both contests this season, winning 11-0 in five innings in the regular season.
"The last two, three days we've been preparing for her," Fatima coach Dana Scheppers said. "She's a great pitcher."
The Lady Comets hit just one ball out of the infield and, on numerous occasions, tried bunting just to put the ball in play against Kliethermes.
"We tried to bunt with two strikes, and I did that a couple of times today," Scheppers said. "Just hoping to get the ball in play, because we weren't doing it any other way.
"It just takes you out of your game. That's not what we normally do."
Blair Oaks took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Erin Fennewald's bloop single over third baseman Karli Struemph scored Brooke Boessen to put the Lady Falcons ahead 1-0.
"I don't think anyone felt comfortable with a 1-0 lead," Buschjost said. "But it didn't take long for me to get comfortable, the more I watched Makenna throw."
Kliethermes struck out the first six batters she faced and reached double-digit strikeouts by the fourth inning.
Fatima pitcher Ally Bonnot retired six in a row and stranded a pair of runners in the fourth. However, the floodgates began to open in the fifth.
Ellie Kliethermes reached on a one-out single. When Boessen fouled out along the left-field line, Kliethermes tagged up and advanced to second to get into scoring position.
After Makenna Kliethermes drew a walk, Kaitlyn Kolb singled up the middle, scoring Ellie Kliethermes to double the Blair Oaks lead to 2-0.
"Ellie is a great runner, a smart runner," Buschjost said. " That was a tremendous baserunning play that just put pressure on them."
Then Erin Fennewald gave the Lady Falcons an extra cushion, crushing a 2-0 pitch over the left-center field fence for her first career home run.
"She pitched me my favorite pitch," Fennewald said Bonnot's fastball. "I was in attack mode."
Fennewald led the Blair Oaks attack, going 3-for-3 with four RBI. She also had a bloop single in the fourth.
"That's a great feeling for her as a senior," Buschjost said. "That (home run) gave us extra breathing room."
In the sixth, Boessen put the game out of reach with a three-run home run to extend the lead to 8-0. The homer was the ninth for Boessen, tying the Blair Oaks' single-season record set by Payton Staggs in 2013.
"I could tell she wasn't happy with her first couple of at-bats," Buschjost said. "She has confidence in herself and her abilities, and she knew if she'd just be patient, she could put a good swing to it. It was a no-doubter."
Boessen's home run was also the final pitch of Bonnot's high school career. Chayce Gier relieved her and finished the bottom of the sixth.
In 5 innings, Bonnot allowed eight runs on nine hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
"She did really well for us in the circle," Scheppers said. "I really wanted to see her finish."
Ellie Kliethermes and Kayla Jones each had a pair of singles for the Lady Falcons.
"They're a great ballclub," Scheppers said. "I think they're going to do well."
This is the fifth straight season Blair Oaks and Fatima have met in the postseason, with the previous four meetings coming in the state sectionals. The Lady Comets won the first two matchups, but the Lady Falcons have won the past three.
"We're playing an opponent that is always, always ready for us," Buschjost said.
Fatima finishes the season with a 14-13 record.
Blair Oaks (24-4) will play Wednesday at Cuba in the Class 2 sectionals. The Lady Wildcats (14-9) won the District 8 title Saturday with a 4-2 victory against Iberia. Game time is still to be determined.
"We still have to come in and play our game," Fennewald said. " But we should be very proud of ourselves for this win."