By Dan Messerschmidt
CCN Sports Director

HOLMES TOWNSHIP — One program is back, and one looks to be on the way.

Caleigh Rister fired a one-hitter for resurgent Bucyrus and the Lady Redmen defeated Wynford, 7-0, in a Northern 10 Athletic Conference softball game.

“She’s a great kid, does some great things,” Bucyrus coach Pudge Hargis said of his freshman prodigy. “Not that the rest of the team doesn’t. This is a team and the girls are all working together.”

Rister completely throttled the Lady Royals’ offense. The right-hander allowed only one baserunner bedsides the lone hit. Morgan Beaschler led off the bottom of the first for Wynford (5-7, 2-6 N10) and was safe on an error.

After that, Rister struck out 14 and walked none. No Royals’ runner got past second base and Rister only went to a three-ball count on two batters.

“Caleigh’s been with Pudge since she was five,” Wynford coach Jamee Burke said. “She was throwing a fastball before she could even run. That’s the joys of being there for a while, establishing a program. Hopefully, we’ll get there. We’re in Year 3 and we’re still chipping away.”

Bucyrus (10-3, 8-2) got all the offense necessary in the fourth inning. Royals’ pitcher Hannah Messmer matched Rister nearly pitch-for-pitch for three innings, holding the Redmen to single base runner.

But the Redmen broke through for a run when Alexis Dye tripled to centerfield with one out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brooklyn Spears.

“We’re not afraid not to score, we’re not afraid to be down a run or two,” Hargis said. “I think we’re still battling at what we can be and who we are. I like that part more than anything else.”

A four-run fifth blew the game open. Ni’Georia Floyd led off with a single. Haley Dye moved her over with a sacrifice bunt and was herself safe on an error. The big blow of the inning was a two-run single by Alexis Dye to make it 5-0.

Rister took it from there, retiring the last 14 Wynford batters. She ended the game facing two over the minimum.

“I know that I can throw strikes,” Rister said. “And my girls are behind me to stop the balls that come to them and make plays we have to to get outs.”

“We put runners at second twice and then just didn’t put anything together,” Burke said. “Caleigh had a really good game. We had three really, really good innings and I would say we had six good innings. We just had one really bad inning.”

The Redmen tacked on two runs in the seventh on singles by Lauren Kohler, Rister and Alexis Dye. Rister and Izzy Burling scored two runs.

The Royals’ only hit was a single by Kristin Owen with one out in the third. Messmer struck out nine Bucyrus batters and walked four, while allowing seven hits.

“Wynford’s program is coming, it’s getting better and better,” Hargis said. “Jamee’s doing a great job out here with these kids. They had as much enthusiasm in the seventh inning as they had in the first. That’s great to see.”

“They’re a good hitting team and great pitching,” Burke said. “Sometimes you just have to tip your cap.

“We’ve got plenty of room to grow and great things coming,” she added. “We’re getting ready to go into tournament this weekend and it’s looking good for us. So, I’m excited about tournament.”

“We need to get a little healthier than we are right now,” Hargis said. “But I like the way the kids are working and that we’re getting better and better.”

208-530-3035

Bucyrus    000 140 2      7     7    1

Wynford   000 000 0      0     1    2

WP: Caleigh Rister (14 SO, 0 W)

LP: Hannah Messmer (9 SO, 4 W)

HR: None.

Triples: Alexis Dye.

Doubles: None.

Multiple hits: (B) Alexis Dye, Ni’Georia Floyd.

Records: Bucyrus 10-3 (8-2 N10); Wynford 5-7 (2-6 N10).

Next: Buckeye Central at Bucyrus, Friday; Wynford at Seneca East, Friday.