BUCYRUS — The season has not gone as planned for the Bucyrus Lady Redmen, for more reasons than one.

The combination of weather, injuries, a tough schedule, and youth had kept the Redmen winless on the season. But they saw light at the end of the tunnel with their first win of the year on Friday.

Ashley Davis struck out 11 batters and walked none and the offense got timely hits as Bucyrus defeated visiting Buckeye Central, 5-2, in a Northern 10 Athletic Conference game at Jack Hewitt Field.

“That’s true,” said Redmen coach Pudge Hargis when discussing the adversities his team has battled. “But the girls have always been the best. They’ve worked at it. They’ve understood what we were doing, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Buckeye Central (1-13, 0-9 N10) hadn’t fared much better coming into the contest, having won just one non-league game on the campaign. But Buckettes’ head coach, Todd Messmer, thought his team competed.

“They made the plays when they had to and the hit the spots,” Messmer said of the Redmen. “We hit the ball well, but they played good defense. They made the plays when they had to do it and we didn’t. That was the difference in the game.”

Bucyrus (1-9, 1-8) touched Buckettes’ pitcher, freshman Grace Collene, for single runs in each of the first three innings.

In the first, Kendra Blizzard drew a one-out walk, stole second and came home on a single by sister Karmyn Blizzard. In the second, Lexi Payne got a one-out, stole second and scored on a single by Danica Rowalt.

Davis helped her own cause in the third by singling with one out. Pinch runner Adrianna Clark moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Isabella Bruss.

Buckeye Central answered with two runs in the top of the fourth. Collene doubled with one out. Sheila Betts singled her home. Eva Lewis followed with a single and an outfield error brought Betts home with the second run.

The Redmen got the lead back to three in the bottom of the fourth. Rowalt singled, moved to second on a ground ball and scored on a single by Kendra Blizzard.

Blizzard went all the way to third on the throw back to the infield and scored on a wild pitch.

That was it for the offenses, as the pitchers took over from there.

“Our pitcher (Collene) pitched good, and their pitcher (Davis) pitched good,” Messmer said. “It pretty much came down to who can make plays when they needed to.”

Davis retired the last 11 Buckeye Central batters in the row, including five strikeouts. Collene was nearly as good, setting down seven of the final eight Bucyrus batters, with a walk to Marissa Middleton the only blemish.

“The girls have played and played and played and they’ve been enthusiastic about it,” Hargis said. “It’s nice to get a win.”

Bucyrus banged out nine hits, all singles. Davis and Rowalt had two each, while Kendra Blizzard, Karmyn Blizzard, Natalie Hankins, Bruss, and Payne each reached once.

Davis scattered five hits to go with her 11 Ks.

Lewis had a pair of singles for Buckeye Central and Collene had the game’s only extra base hit with a double. Sheila Betts and Nora Lane each singled. Collene struck out five and walked two in the circle.

“Good, solid defense on both sides,” Messmer said. “We hit the ball pretty good today, just right at them.”

“We’re fine, we’re good,” Hargis said. “We’re still having fun and that’s the important thing.”

“We’ll just have to keep getting better,” Messmer said. “We’re young and so are they. We’re both in the same boat. I’m pretty proud of them. They came to play.”

“We’ve got them again on Monday, and you’ve got to go play,” Hargis said of the Buckettes. “They’ll be fine, and I think we’ll be fine.”

Box score

Buckeye Central   000 200 0       2        5        0

Bucyrus                   111 200 X       5        9        1

WP: Ashley Davis (11 SO, 0 W)

LP: Grace Collene (5 SO, 2 W)

HR: None.

Triples: None.

Doubles: (BC) Grace Collene.

Multiple hits: (BC) Eva Lewis; (B) Ashley Davis, Danica Rowalt.

Records: Buckeye Central 1-13, 0-9 N10; Bucyrus 1-9, 1-8 N10.

Next: Bucyrus at Buckeye Central, Monday.