By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
SHAWNEE – Piedmont’s offensive firepower fueled a 16-3 blowout win over Woodward Thursday in the Class 5A state tournament quarterfinals at FireLake Ball Fields.
The Wildcats racked up 17 hits, including four from senior Cozee Clark, as they cruised past the Boomers – for the third time this year – to advance to the semifinals. Clark finished 4-for-4 with four RBI.
Piedmont didn’t waste any time, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on two hits and an error, including an RBI double by senior Rikki Hadley and a two-run home run by senior Chloe Bohuslavicky.
Hadley, who went 3-for-5 with three RBI, singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Ashlyn Brown to extend the lead to 4-0 in the top of the third. Senior Jade Rowland followed with a single and later scored on an RBI knock by Clark to make it 5-0.
Woodward answered with three runs on four hits and a sacrifice fly off Bohuslavicky to cut the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the frame, however, that was all Piedmont’s starter would allow. Bohuslavicky went six-complete with four strikeouts for her fourth career state tournament win.
The Cats broke the game open in the top of the fifth with five runs on six hits and a walk.
Seven straight Piedmont batters reached base after a leadoff out. Clark and senior Ellie Griffin each plated runs with doubles while Rowland, senior Kennedi Morelock and freshman Karissa Fiegener drove home one run apiece on singles.
The Cats tacked on six more runs on five hits, a walk and an error in the top of the sixth. Hadley drove in two runs with a triple. Clark and Fiegener also helped seal the victory with RBI singles in the final frame.
Six Wildcat batters finished with multi-hit games, including Clark, Hadley, Morelock (2-for-5), Fiegener (2-for-4), Rowland (2-for-3) and Griffin (2-for-3). Every player in the starting lineup finished with at least one hit.
Piedmont moves on to face Durant (25-13) in the semifinals Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at FireLake Ball Fields.
