BUCYRUS — The Lady Red bats turned red-hot at the expense of Willard’s young pitching.

The result was an 8-hit effort and a 12-2 six-inning win in the Division III sectional softball semifinal Tuesday evening at Jack Hewitt Field.

“They are a very young team, and their pitching staff is just beginning to get going. We were able to make contact and do some things. The first time up we lost a little patience in there,” Bucyrus head coach Jerry “Pudge” Hargis said.

“We have to mentally get a little tougher.”

With the victory Bucyrus moves to 10-10 and will face top-seeded Huron (12-3) on Friday at 5 p.m.

Hargis got another solid pitching performance from junior Kendra Blizzard. She recorded six strikeouts, issued four walks, and held Willard to three hits.

“Kendra is a worker. I can’t talk enough about the family. We had her older sister (Karmyn) on the team last year. Her younger brother plays football and mom and dad should get a lot of praise for the way those kids are raised,” Hargis said.

“Kendra is just a bulldog. She won’t quit. She battles. I asked her how she’s doing. She always says she’s doing good.

“She had blood dripping down her elbow where she fell out there and couldn’t throw strikes for a little while. But she still wants the ball. She’s a gamer.”

Bucyrus struck for pair of runs in the first inning and added 5 more in the second.

Eleven batters went to the plate in the second, with Sierra Frost, Haylee Stratton and Adriana Clark getting base hits. Two walks and an infield error helped push across two of those runs.

Lady Flashes head coach Brandy Mizer said her team was short-handed with three upperclassmen not present.

“We were missing three of our seniors. One is under concussion protocol, one had a death in the family, and another was sick,” Mizer said. “Our underclassmen stepped up well and did what they needed to do.”

Ava Deel took the loss, with two strikeouts and no walks, yielding 7 hits through 1 and 2/3 innings in the circle.

“Our freshman pitcher started off amazingly well. That’s the third or fourth game for her starting and she did what we asked her to do, which was pitch it over the plate and let them hit it and let our defense do the work.”

Bucyrus was able to hit the ball off Deel and reliever Lauren Homans. Homans struggled with 4 walks and 3 wild pitches, leading to a 3-run sixth inning for Bucyrus.

“They hit the ball well,” Mizer said.

“With this being a first-year program, we’re still trying to establish our program. The younger girls are picking it up and hopefully we can start engraving it into our older girls as well. They’ve got to buy in.”

Next up for Bucyrus is Huron, the top seed in the section and a team boasting a player headed to a Division I collegiate program.

“It’s going to be a challenge. This girl is going to pitch at the University of Toledo. I love the challenge for us, and with challenges we grow,” Hargis said.

Eliza Maloney, who missed last season with a torn ACL, is a formidable hurler with an ERA of 0.26. Earlier this season Maloney struck out 17 in a no-hit win over Willard.

“She’s gonna throw the ball hard do we’re going to shorten up on the bat. We’re going to turn the pitching machine up, not all the way up, but some. And do the little things like we’ll probably bunt the ball some.”

After a 3-win season a year ago, Hargis is pleased with the growth.

“These kids are buying into the program. As long as they’re having fun, they’ll come back and play for you, as long as you’re fair and even with them.”

Box score

Willard     000 002 X        2        3        5

Bucyrus    250 203 X     12        8        2

WP: Kendra Blizzard (6 SO, 4 W)

LP: Ava Deel (2 SO, 0 W)

HR: None.

Triples: None.

Doubles: (B) Marissa Middleton, Kendra Blizzard.

Multiple hits: (W) Natalie Slone; (B) Kendra Blizzard 3, Adriana Clark.

Records: Willard 1-14; Bucyrus 10-10.

Next: Willard at Margaretta, Wednesday; Bucyrus at Huron, Friday.