WARDSVILLE - The inning isn't over until there are three outs.
"We keep preaching to keep playing, keep playing," Helias coach Chris Wyrick said after the Lady Crusaders scored five two-out runs Tuesday night in a 5-1 victory against the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons at the Falcon Athletic Complex.
"Just because there's two outs doesn't mean the inning's over. You need to keep battling, put the ball in play and take your chances."
For the Lady Falcons, their chances on offense were few and far between against Helias starter Alexa Rehmeier. The junior tossed a four-hitter, walking two while striking out 14.
"She didn't show any weaknesses, she was getting ahead all the time," Blair Oaks coach Sharon Buschjost said. "She was in control of the game tonight. She made us chase her pitch."
Helias scored two runs in top of the second inning, drawing five walks.
"We want to be aggressive, but we want to be aggressive on strikes," Wyrick said. "In a game against a very good team in front of a big crowd, we'll take what we can get and that inning, it was walks. If teams are going to give you a couple of runs, you take them."
Blair Oaks cut the deficit in half with a run in the third. Bailey Rissmiller led off with an infield single an was sacrificed to second by Lauren Strange. After a fly out, Natalie Otto reached on an infield single to put runners at the corners before Kaitlyn Kolb drove in Rissmiller with the third infield single of the inning.
Andi Siebeneck was then hit by a pitch to load the bases before Rehmeier got a strikeout to end the frame.
"You start begging for a hit at that point," Buschjost said.
Helias got that run back in the fifth. Rylee Kolb lined a one-out double to the fence in left. One out later, Paige Luebbering hit a 2-2 pitch to left for a single to make it 3-1.
"That was a big-time hit," Wyrick said. "Paige has been really consistent for us this year. She doesn't do anything flashy, but she puts good swings on pitches and gives herself a chance at the plate."
Blair Oaks had a chance to score in the bottom of the inning. Otto hit a two-out single before Kolb followed with a liner to left that a charging Rylee Kolb snared off her shoe tops for the final out of the inning.
"Rylee's gotten so much better, she is more aggressive out there," Wyrick said. "That was a big play.
"Who knows what happens if she doesn't catch that ball?"
Helias scored its final two runs in the sixth. Riley Heckenkamp reached second on an error to start the inning. After a popout and flyout, courtesy runner Livia Bloomer scored on a single by Taylor Woehr. Woehr made it all the way to third on an error on the play before scoring on a triple by Holly Hentges.
"Helias is a good hitting team up and down the lineup," Buschjost said. "The players are disappointed in some of their at-bats. we just gave them too many outs."
Rehmeier got her final six outs on strikeouts.
"She just moves the ball," Wyrick said. "Up, down, in, out, she doesn't throw the same pitch in the same spot twice.
"It can be hard to square the ball up against her."
Alexis Findley took the loss for Blair Oaks, pitching the first 12/3 innings.
"I still have confidence in our pitching, it put us in a tough position early, but I will not hesitate to use Alexis again," Buschjost said.
Siebeneck pitched the final 51/3 innings. She allowed seven hits and one walk while striking out two.
Blair Oaks (4-1) is back in action Friday and Saturday in the Lady Jays Classic at Binder Park.
Helias (8-2) will host St. Joseph's Academy on Thursday. Game time is 4:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
"We still have a lot to get better at, but if we keep progressing and getting better, we'll like where we are at the end of the season," Wyrick said.
In the JV game, Helias (5-0) scored nine runs in the top of the fifth inning to rally past Blair Oaks 9-5.
Anna Hankins had two hits and two RBI for Blair Oaks (6-2), who will play today at Southern Boone.