The Perry Jayettes put on a strong showing Thursday in the consolation round of 4A state softball at Rogers Park in Fort Dodge. Perry defeated Creston in the opening round consolation battle 6-0 before falling to Charles City in a wild 5th place game 11-7 with international rules coming into effect due to a time limit restraint.
Perry junior Emma Olejniczak was sensational in the win against Creston. The hard throwing right hander struck out a season high 16 batters in securing the shutout. Olejniczak scattered four hits while walking one in completely dominating the Hawkeye 10 foe. Perry lit the lamp early with two first inning runs on a Rachel Kinney 2-run hit. The Jayettes pushed across 4 more runs in the bottom of the 4th inning. Johanna Diw ripped a 2-run single while Sidney Vancil and Alyssa Kruger added RBI’s. Diw reached safely all four plate appearances while scoring a pair of runs.
The win over Perry allowed the Jayettes to advance into the 5th place consolation final against Charles City. Perry led 6-4 going into the top of the 6th inning and could not hold the lead as the Comets pushed across a pair of 2 out runs. It would have been the final inning since the 90 minute time rule was surpassed. All consolation games at state play a 90 minute time limit with international rule factored in if the game is tied after the 90 minute time limit. The Comets scored on a wild pitch and RBI single by Shantel Vanhauen to tie the game at 6. Perry went down in order in the bottom of the 6th inning to force the international 7th with each team starting the inning with a runner at second base.
Perry pulled the exhausted Olejniczak and went with sophomore Vancil in the 7th. With the high heat and temperatures along with the high pitch count in the 2 games, Olejniczak was rested for the less experienced Vancil. The Comets took advantage scoring 5 times in the inning with three consecutive hits. Perry could muster only one run in the bottom of the 7th and Charles City celebrated the win.
Olejniczak turned in a gutsy performance considering the elements. She struck out 10 Comets while allowing 7 hits and 4 walks in the 6 innings worked. The bottom of the order led the way for Perry with Maddy Jans giving Perry an early lead with a 2-run double. Brooke Huntington added 2 hits and Maddie West reached twice. Diw reached base three times via base on balls, while Olejniczak added an RBI.
Both teams showed the effects of the heat with a number of wild pitches and passed balls. Perry score three runs on wild pitch/pass ball combos while Charles City added three runs of their own on that same combo.
Perry closes out a sensational season with a mark of 25-14 and brings back the 6th place trophy to the school. The Jayettes 25 wins are the highest since 1999 and represented the school’s 9th all time trip to the state tournament. Perry loses two seniors in Victoria Hegstrom and Maddy Jans but returns a strong nucleus of underclassmen led by Olejniczak in the pitching circle.
All Tournament team members will be announced tomorrow. (Friday)