A nine-inning game came down to one hit, and the Fightin’ Chicks made it count.

Chickasha baseball beat Elk City 7-6 Saturday, in an extra-inning thriller at Elliott Field, behind a walk-off single from second baseman Noah Mealer.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Mealer stepped up to the plate with the winning run on second base. The sophomore went hitless in his first three at-bats, but saved his best for last.

On a 0-1 count, Mealer roped the ball into right field at Elk City’s Sonny Holladay. The runner on second, right fielder Brody Ross, took off, rounded third and beat the throw at home to seal the deal in extra innings, and the Fightin’ Chicks celebrated accordingly — mobbing Mealer on the base path.

The win brings Chickasha’s record to 3-1, and marked its closest ballgame of the young season. Chickasha’s first two wins came in run-rule fashion, and coming off an 11-3 loss at Heritage Hall, a tightly contested game proved beneficial for the Chicks.

“It kind of sets a tone. The pressure was put on us right there,” said Chickasha coach Kevin James. “We got behind there early, scrapped back in to take the lead. We run through a bunch of pitchers, and we need to grow up and figure out that we’re going to be put in those situations. But we won. And that’s the big deal.”

After a slow start at the plate for the Fightin’ Chicks, Elk City jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. However, a four-run third inning, led by Ross and third baseman Jesuil Ramirez-Diaz, who combined for three RBIs, offered a swift response.

The rally put the Chicks back on top and built some momentum that they’d capitalize on in the following innings, adding runs in the fourth and fifth.

Ross led the Chicks at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 with one run and two RBIs. Kaiden Boswell finished 2-for-5 with one run and one RBI, while Mealer and Ramirez-Diaz finished with one RBI on their lone hits

Right-handed pitcher Tyson Owens drew the start on the mound, and aside from the two-run second, tossed four scoreless innings, finishing with 6H, 2R, 2BB and 8 SO in five innings of work.

Mealer took the mound in the sixth inning, followed by righty Javier Nieto in the seventh. After knocking in a run in the sixth, Elk City rallied for three more in the seventh to tie the game, and a three-up, three-down bottom half led to extra innings.

Right-handed pitcher Kolton Karn came in in relief for the last two innings, navigating the ninth with two runners on base and one in scoring position. A line drive to first baseman Kiefer Woods got Chickasha out of the jam, leading to Mealer’s walk-off five at-bats later.

Despite the late push from Elk City and a handful of miscues in the field, the Fightin’ Chicks were able to hold off the Elks, but their defensive woes didn’t go unnoticed.

“When we pitch, we want it to be strike one every time. When we get strike one, we’re 60% or better getting guys out,” James said. “And as far as defensively, fly balls have to be outs, ground balls have to be outs.”

“We’re going to give up basehits, but if you throw strikes, they’re going to put the ball in play — everybody we play is going to put the ball in play,” James said. “Just need to clean stuff up, play a complete game and do our job and what’s expected.”

Next, Chickasha will play a doubleheader at Tecumseh on Mar. 9. The Savages are coming off a 12-0 run-rule loss at Shawnee, and will be looking to pick up their first win of the season at home.