WARDSVILLE - Wednesday was a big day for the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons softball program.
First, Blair Oaks defeated the Eldon Lady Mustangs 10-0 in five innings at the Falcon Athletic Complex. That clinched the program's ninth consecutive 20-win season.
It was also the Lady Falcons' final conference game of the season, and with a 6-1 record, they have clinched at least a share of the Tri-County Conference title. In her 25 seasons as head coach at Blair Oaks, Sharon Buschjost and the Lady Falcons have won the conference title 24 times.
Oh yeah and Alexis Findley pitched her first career perfect game.
"I know in the back of my head I was thinking about it," Findley said. "I know I needed to focus on the batter in each at-bat."
The win improved Findley's record to 10-2 this season. She struck out 14 of the 15 batters she faced, which pushed her past 100 strikeouts this season.
"She was around the strike zone and mixing in the changeup periodically," Buschjost said. "We've been highly encouraging the changeup to be mixed in throughout the season, so that as we get to the postseason, that a more effective pitch."
Buschjost noted Findley did a good job of working ahead in the count, throwing first-pitch strikes to 10 of the 15 batters she faced. Findley only had one three-ball count in the game.
"She knows she's a different kind of pitcher when she can get ahead of a batter," Buschjost said.
Eldon's Chloe Ruark was the only batter to put the ball in play against Findley. With one out in the top of the fourth inning, Ruark hit a 2-2 pitch that jumped off her bat and headed toward deep left field.
But the ball hung in the air and left fielder Madi Boessen was able to drift back in time to make the catch a few steps in front of the fence.
"I did (get nervous), but I had trust in my outfielders," Findley said. "I knew she had it."
The Blair Oaks offense did its part to ensure Findley didn't need to step back into the pitcher's circle for a sixth or seventh inning.
Bailey Rissmiller led the offense with three doubles and three runs scored. She went 3-for-3, improving her team-high batting average to .473.
"She has been one of our top performers the entire season," Buschjost said. "If we're needing a hit from someone, or needing someone to open up the game a little bit, it's Bailey Rissmiller. She just gets hit after hit."
Rissmiller also stole third base twice, essentially turning those doubles into triples. She leads the Lady Falcons with 14 stolen bases.
"We have some pretty good speed on the team, and we wanted to make sure we utilized it," Buschjost said.
Findley helped her own cause in the fourth inning, hitting a two-run home run that hooked fair down the left-field line. Her third homer of the season extended Blair Oaks' lead to 7-0.
"The foul poles are not real tall, and when you hit a shot like she hit, I think it was a tough call for the umpire," Buschjost said. "But I thought it hung up just long enough and cross over a portion of that foul pole."
Wednesday was the final regular-season home game for Blair Oaks. Although the Lady Falcons celebrated Senior Night earlier in the season, Buschjost put all six seniors in the batting order Wednesday.
Three of those seniors helped end the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Boessen hit an RBI single, Hannah Versules drove her in with an RBI single and Lauren Strange drove her in with an RBI triple to right-center field.
Strange went 2-for-3, adding a double in the fourth inning.
"That's a 'feel good' moment, because Lauren has hit into some tough luck this year," Buschjost said. "She's hit the ball hard when she has the chance."
Findley said she has pitched a no-hitter before, but it was special to toss a perfect game in what may be the final home game for the senior.
"My main focus was doing it for coach," she said. "I know she's been counting on me these last four years."
Buschjost said winning 20 games in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, is a huge accomplishment in many ways.
"One, it says a lot about the team," she said. "Two, just getting in enough games, because there have been a lot of teams who have had to deal with more than what we've had to deal with this season.
"We feel very fortunate to be able to get to 20 wins."
Last week's loss at California prevented Blair Oaks from winning the conference title outright. But even in 2015, the last time the Lady Falcons lost a conference game, they were still able to share the conference title with Southern Boone.
"It's still a conference title, whether it's shared or outright," Buschjost said. "We had to take care of things tonight. I am proud of the team for another conference title."
Blair Oaks (20-5) and Eldon (4-14) will face each other again next Wednesday in the first round of the Class 3 District 4 Tournament at Versailles.
The Lady Falcons will conclude their regular season today at Troy-Buchanan in a makeup game. It will be the 21st game in a 22-day span for the Lady Falcons.
"We're very excited to travel to Troy and play a great Troy team," Buschjost said.