ELGIN – Kinsley Haferkamp already has several big pitching performances this summer for the Washington County Minor Division softball all-stars.
Tuesday’s effort in the Texas East Section 1 tournament opener, though, was her brightest gem of all.
Haferkamp struck out 18 batters, the most possible in a six-inning regulation game, and got plenty of run support late in an 8-0 victory for the county all-stars over Smithville.
She earned double-digit strikeouts for a second straight game following Tuesday’s effort and her 11-strikeout performance in the district championship game against Columbus. Haferkamp has thrown 66 strikeouts and allowed just 17 walks for Washington County this summer.
“She comes out and wants to dominate,” coach Sean Church said after Tuesday’s game. “Her changeup was just fantastic today. It really looked good, so I am super proud of her for really working on that second pitch that we have been trying to use a lot.”
Four of her strikeouts in the first two innings came with Smithville swinging on strike three.
Her teammates gave her run support after the second of her three-strikeout frames. Raelyn Rosenbaum used a pair of Smithville throwing mistakes on a base-stealing situation to score the opening run. Finlee Youngs drove Lillie Landua in with an RBI groundout to first base.
Though Haferkamp only had a two-run lead to work with, it was enough of a cushion for her confident pitching to grow even stronger. She again struck out the side in the third, needing just nine pitches to get out of the frame.
Her only walk of the evening came with one away in the fourth. Smithville used a wild pitch and a passed ball to send its runner to third base, but Haferkamp did not get complacent in the circle.
Two more swinging strikeouts left the Smithville runner on third and kept Washington County’s 2-0 lead intact.
The county all-stars sought more runs in the fourth. Three walks and an infield single from Paisley Meyer put Washington County in position to score more. But, the bases were loaded with no additional runs in a two-out spot because of Brylee Margist being called out for leaving first base early earlier in the inning.
Landua struck out in a 3-2 count to end the inning without additional runs.
Through the early and middle innings, Washington County’s lack of a clutch hit showed the strength of Smithville’s pitching in key situations.
“We give credit to the pitcher for Smithville,” Church said. “She was throwing strikes when it counted and she did not help us any.”
Three more swinging strikeouts from Haferkamp got bats back in Washington County’s hands for the bottom of the fifth. The inning threatened to look similar to the fourth with three walks drawn, but two outs on the board.
This time, though, the county all-stars took advantage of their golden opportunity to put the game out of a realistic reach.
After Avery Meyer drew the third of her team’s walks in the inning, Addie Sebastian earned an RBI infield single thanks to her speed, allowing Stella Church to score. Youngs showed great heads-up baserunning on the sequence, scoring herself to push Washington County’s lead to 4-0.
Margist earned an RBI infield single after Smithville opted to try and get an out at third base, but went for a force out on a must-tag situation. Sebastian slid under the tag to be safe at third and allow the inning to continue.
Teagyn Wilson then smacked Washington County’s best hit of the game on an RBI double into left field, extending the county’s advantage to 6-0.
An RBI infield single from Lonna Wunderlich was followed by Wilson coming home on a throwing miscue to bring the county all-stars their eight-run lead.
“I think the girls used the first few innings to adjust to a really big strike zone by the umpire tonight, but they did a good job,” Coach Church said. “They did not get down on themselves and that is something that we preach to them (with) bad calls or calls you do not agree with. That is part of it. You just got to keep rolling.”
Washington County earned seven hits Tuesday with seven different players getting into the hit column. The county all-stars also drew seven walks, including two from Paisley Meyer.
Haferkamp concluded her no-hitter with a 12-pitch sixth inning with just two balls to go with her three strikeouts in the frame. She ended the game on her 80th pitch of the evening, throwing strikes on nearly 78 percent of her pitches.
Though Coach Church was pleased with the win, he told the team in the postgame huddle that its energy needed to be higher for Game 2 on Wednesday. Cheers from the Washington County dugout were noticeably quieter on Tuesday, but only after two separate calls from the first base umpire to keep the tone of their cheers down, especially during pitches.
“We will adjust and we will come out with more energy hopefully tomorrow and win the game,” Church said.
His other main message regarding Wednesday was to finish the job and earn a coveted trip to the state tournament.
“This has been our goal all along,” Church said. “I think the girls all really want it, so I have a lot of faith that they are going to come out and win it, and we are going to move on like we want to,” he said.