Triopia beats Tornadoes in 12 innings

Jacksonville Journal-Courier (IL)

April 06-- Apr. 6--It was the longest game Triopia's Jayla Waid has ever played in -- and that was thanks in large part to the sophomore hurler herself.

Waid pitched seven innings of scoreless relief, and the Triopia softball team rallied for a 3-2 win over Griggsville-Perry in 12 innings at Lenz Field Friday night.

Kam Portwood tripled and scored on a wild pitch in the top of the 12th inning to help end the game, which lasted more than three hours.

Ashtyn Rouland started in the circle and had a good outing, giving up two runs over the first five innings with three strikeouts and one walk. Waid came on in the bottom of the sixth, with Triopia trailing 2-1. She pitched in and out of trouble, giving up four hits and seven walks, but she struck out nine batters and never lost her cool in the circle.

"It was a lot of pressure toward the end, but our team came together really nice," Waid said.

Trailing 2-0, Triopia scored a run in the top of the sixth and tied the score with a run in the top of the seventh. Kendra Stock doubled to lead off the inning, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a grounder to short by Grace Duesterhaus, who beat the throw to first.

The Trojans might have taken the lead in that inning if not for one of the craziest plays of the young season. With Duesterhaus at third and Madison Gregory at second after a bunt single, with one out, Portwood grounded to Kaitlyn Leenerts at short. Leenerts threw to catcher Jenna Kelley, who tagged Duesterhaus sliding home. Portwood broke for second on the play, and Kelley threw the ball back to Leenerts, but Portwood was safe. Gregory broke for home on the throw, but Leenerts alertly threw the ball back to Kelly, who tagged out Gregory sliding across the plate for a double play.

The rest of the game was in Waid's hands.

Griggsville-Perry loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but Waid got out of the inning with a strikeout and a ground ball to first.

The Tornadoes had runners at first and second with one out in the eighth. Waid got out of that jam with a fielder's choice and a ground ball to second.

Griggsville-Perry put two runners on with nobody out, and had the bases loaded with one out, in the ninth. Waid struck out the next batter and ended the inning with a ground ball to short.

The Tornadoes opened the 10th with a walk, but Waid struck out the next two batters. Then after a late throw to first on a ground ball, the Trojans got the ball back to the infield to catch the runner advancing to third.

Griggsville-Perry opened the 11th with a double. Waid got the next batter on a ground ball to first as the runner advanced to third. She struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

After Triopia grabbed the lead in the top 12th, Waid retired the side in order on a ground ball back to the pitcher and two strikeouts.

Waid relied on her two-seam fastball and change-up, but encouragement from her teammates helped her get through the roughest patches.

"My teammates really helped me, especially when bases were loaded and things were getting tough," she said.

"She was a bulldog tonight. She really was," Triopia coach Ty Gebhardt said. "For a sophomore, and we haven't used her much this year -- and she came out there and popped the ball and hit her spots and looked real good, and opened up my eyes a little bit."

Triopia has struggled at the plate without Anna Burrus, who has been sidelined after injuring her knee when she collided with an outfielder earlier in the season. The Trojans had only eight hits, and only two extra-base hits, on Friday night.

Portwood finally broke the tie, hitting a line drive into the gap in right-center. She made it all the way to third without a play.

"She's been hitting the ball real well," Gebhardt said. "She had three hits against Routt, and came out tonight and had a good hit. She struggled a little bit early but she got the hit when we needed it, and it worked out and we got a win."

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