HOLMES TOWNSHIP — The wind was swirling and strong all afternoon. But it did little to affect Bucyrus pitcher Caleigh Rister.

Rister was brilliant, permitting just two runs and three hits while striking out 12 as the Lady Redmen beat Wynford, 13-2, in a run-rule game shortened to five innings.

“I was comfortable, I was ready for today,” Rister said. “You wake up and it’s game day. Also, it was Wynford. We were ready.”

Bucyrus improved to 4-0 in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference, 4-3 overall. Wynford fell to 2-2 in the N10, 2-5 overall.

Rister retired the first 11 Wynford batters, allowing just two balls to be put in play. She fanned six straight batters at one point.

“I had the girls behind me backing me up,” Rister said. “We had a few running errors on the base paths, and I left a few hanging over the plate in the fourth or fifth. But overall, we played pretty well. And I think we came ready.

I’m used to it. I’m used to stepping up there and believing in myself and pitching.”

Wynford coach Jamee Burke said that Rister’s performance was one that didn’t permit her team to gain confidence.

“Kudos to Caleigh,” Burke said. “She’s hot right now. Nothing against her. She brought it both games against us clearly. But just telling them that you have to step into the box with confidence because you have already lost if you don’t step into the box with it.”

Bucyrus scored twice in the top of the first on a single from Lauren Kohler, a bunt single from Rister, a walk and a two-run single on a pop-up down the right-field line from Jade Torres.

“We were struggling right now with that monkey on our back from that first pop-up of the game, where if we catch that pop-up, we’re out of the inning with no runs scored,” Burke said. “We just need the mentality of hit that ball to me and let me make a play.”

The Lady Redmen increased the lead to 3-0 in the second on an Ashley Davis double and a single from Kohler.

Bucyrus put the game away with a six-spot in the third. After Alexis Dye tripled to open the inning, the Lady Redmen got run-scoring hits from Davis, Kohler and two from Rister.

Wynford got on the board in the fourth. Kearsten Hulsmeyer singled, Paige Rex doubled to right center and Hannah Messmer singled.

But Rister was in control for the rest of the game.

Catcher Kohler said that she has ultimate confidence in Rister.

“She always throws a good game,” Kohler said. “It’s pretty easy to catch Caleigh because she always hits the spot. Tonight, we did a lot of the rise and the curveball on the outside corner. And it was obviously working. If it’s working for us, I’m going to keep on calling it.”

Rister said she was able to adjust her game depending on what was working.

“Toward the end of the game the rise ball wasn’t working as much so we went away from that and stayed with the fastball and curveball,” Rister said.

Freshman Maycie Morgan started in the circle for the Lady Royals and pitched well in three innings, striking out two and walking two. Messmer went the final two frames, allowing three hits, striking out one and walking two.

“We’re trying to embrace having confidence in whatever you do in life for all of them,” Burke said. “We had one inning where I really felt we stepped in the box and had confidence and we knew that inning. That was the inning we scored two runs. And we stepped in and we said we were going to hit the ball.”

Burke added that the Lady Redmen should contend for an N10 crown.

“I think Bucyrus will be near the top of the league and we all know that,” Burke said. “That’s a good hitting team, good defensive team, and with Caleigh in the circle, they’re going to be the team to beat this year. Seeing them early is tough but nice at the same time because we can move on from that and build from that.”

Box score

Bucyrus     216 13X X   13   14    0

Wynford     000 20X X     2    3     3

WP: Caleigh Rister (12 SO, 0 W)

LP: Maycie Morgan (2 SO, 2 W)

HR: None.

Triples: (B) Alexis Dye.

Doubles: (B) Lauren Kohler 2, Ashley Davis; (W) Paige Rex.

Multiple hits: (B) Lauren Kohler 4, Caleigh Rister, Jade Torres, Ashley Davis.

Records: Bucyrus 4-3 (3-0 N10); Wynford 2-5 (2-2 N10).

Next: Elgin at Bucyrus, Thursday; Ridgedale at Wynford, Friday.