By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Junior Emmerson Cope pitched a five-inning perfect game and hit a walkoff home run in the first game to highlight the day as Washburn Rural's softball team opened its season Tuesday with a doubleheader sweep of Hayden at Rural.
Washburn Rural junior Emmerson Cope (33) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a 3-run walkoff first-game home run Tuesday against Hayden. The Junior Blues swept the Wildcats, 10-0, 8-1. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Emmerson Cope delivers a pitch Tuesday against Hayden in the Junior Blues' season-openers. Cope pitched a five-inning perfect game in Rural's 10-0 first-game win. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Junior Blues, who advanced to the Class 6A state tournament last season, took a 10-0 first-game win over the Wildcats and earned the sweep with an 8-1 decision in the second game.
Both games went five innings, with Rural winning the first game by way of the 10-run spread rule on Cope's three-run walkoff home run in the bottom of the fifth and the second game was called due to lightning.
Washburn Rural opened the first game with a run in the first and three runs in the third and the Junior Blues put the game away with three runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
In addition to Cope's home run, the Junior Blues got doubles from Cope and seniors Campbell Bagshaw and Baylee Dial in the first game, with Cope knocking in four runs and senior McKenna Schuler and Dial two RBI apiece.
Cope was in command in the pitching circle from the outset, striking out 11 Wildcat batters.
Rural jumped in front 5-0 through two innings in the nightcap and added three runs in the fourth after Hayden had scored a run in the top half of the inning.
Junior Kaci Bath homered and had three RBI for the Junior Blues while Bagshaw, who went four of six on the day, tripled and Dial had a pair of doubles and Cope, Bath and freshman Naudia Wech also doubled in the second game. Bagshaw scored three runs in the game.
Junior Piper Titsworth picked up the pitching win for Washburn Rural, giving up just two hits.
Junior Maylee Burris doubled for Hayden and scored on an RBI by sophomore Kylie Carswell.
First game
WASHBURN RURAL 10, HAYDEN 0
Hayden 000 00 -- 0 0 1
Washburn Rural 103 33 -- 10 11 0
W -- Cope (1-0). L -- Droge (0-1). 2B -- Washburn Rural: Bagshaw, Dial. HR -- Washburn Rural: Cope.
Second game
WASHBURN RURAL 8, HAYDEN 1
Hayden 000 10 -- 1 2 3
Washburn Rural 230 30 -- 8 9 0
W -- Titsworth (1-0). L -- Droge (0-1). 2B -- Hayden: Burris. Washburn Rural: Cope, Bath, Dial. 3B -- Washburn Rural: Bagshaw. HR -- Washburn Rural: Bath.
