WARDSVILLE - It has been a lopsided rivalry between the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons and the California Lady Pintos on the softball field.
Blair Oaks had won each of the last eight meetings prior to Tuesday night's contests by at least 10 runs. But this year, California was looking to change that, entering the game with a 14-3 record.
It wasn't a run-rule victory, but it was still a convincing victory for the Lady Falcons.
"California was ready for us," Blair Oaks coach Sharon Buschjost said after a 9-1 win at the Falcon Athletic Complex. "They've been playing well this year, and I think they had our game marked on their calendar for a while, to come in and take one away from us.
"I talked to the girls about understanding that, and making sure that we start early by putting pressure on them and frustrating them. I thought we did a good job."
Blair Oaks scored three runs in the second inning and four more in the third to take a 7-0 lead.
Kadence Kliegel's two-run bloop single to center highlighted the second inning, while Bailey Rissmiller had the big hit in the third with a two-run double to the left-center field gap.
"Some of the hitters are seeing the ball really well right now," Buschjost said.
Alexis Findley finished with three hits, while Natalie Otto also had three hits in the leadoff spot.
One night after blasting four home runs at Hallsville, Blair Oaks had several bloop hits against California. Otto had a pair of bloop doubles and scored a pair of runs.
"I'm starting to see more of the players hustling and thinking two (bases) out of the box," Buschjost said. "I've been emphasizing flyballs to the outfield are base hits thinking two. Natalie Otto has been the leader in hustle. She's had a great year."
Findley added an RBI single in the fourth, while Ellie Kliethermes hit an RBI double in the sixth to make the score 9-1.
Andi Siebeneck entered the game with one earned run allowed in 54 innings for a 0.13 ERA. As it turns out, her ERA dropped even lower Tuesday.
California's only run was scored in the top of the fourth, when Ella Percival scored on an infield error with two outs. It's the 10th unearned run allowed by Siebeneck this season.
"The unearned runs have been an issue for us," Buschjost said. "We emphasize defense was going to come into play more this year than it was last year. We need to take care of that, and at times, our defense has played well, but there are some games we haven't.
"That's just something we'll continue to work on."
Siebeneck got out of an early jam in the second inning. Percival hit a leadoff double and advanced to third on a groundout, but Siebeneck struck out the next two batters to keep the game scoreless.
"It could have set the tone for them early on with a 1-0 lead," Buschjost said, "but to shut that down and score in the bottom of the second, that created some frustration for California."
Siebeneck, who lowered her ERA to 0.11, recorded her sixth straight complete game. In seven innings, she allowed three hits and one walk while striking out 10.
Kliethermes and Rissmiller each had two hits for the Lady Falcons. Findley also drove in two runs.
Blair Oaks (12-4) plays Thursday at Fatima. The two teams have met in the postseason each of the past five seasons, but with the Lady Falcons moving up to Class 3 this fall, Thursday will be their only meeting this season.
"It's so different than what it has been in the past," Buschjost said. "You don't have that million-dollar question of 'Who do you pitch?' All of that is no longer in play.
"But what you will have is two teams wanting to beat each other really bad for bragging rights."
Blair Oaks also won Tuesday's JV game 2-0 to improve to 11-2-1.
Delaney Skinner was the winning pitcher, tossing a no-hitter in five innings with seven strikeouts. She also had both of Blair Oaks' hits, while Jazmin Reinkemeyer and Taylor Groner each had an RBI.