The Wayland softball team bounced back in a big way Tuesday after its notorious Bad Day at Bailey Park last Saturday.
Smarting from an unusual three losses in one day, the Wildcats swept visiting Middleville Thornapple Kellogg 13-0 and 16-1 to reassert its position as the team to beat in the O-K Gold Conference.
Sophomore Madi Ludema was the ringleader again, tossing a shutout at the Trojans in the opener and collecting five hits in the two games.
Ludema shut down TK on three hits and one walk and struck out five. She drove in six runs with three hits, including a triple, in the nightcap.
Carli Miklusicak hurled the second game, yielding one run on two hits and she struck out three over three innings. Harmony Laker came on in the fourth inning and struck out three batters.
Harmony Laker went 3-3, at the plate. Madi Ludema was 3-4, with a triple and six RBIs. Lauren Wright was 2-3. Resse Veltman, Carli Mikluisicak, Rae Stallard, and Izzy Johnson, all added hits for the nightcap. Mikluisicak added a single and Rae Stallard ripped a triple.
Shelby VanHouten, though batting ninth in the order, came up with three hits in the opener and leadoff Hannah Rairigh matched that total as the ‘Cats had 16 hits as a team. Ludema, Kaylee Lown and Lauren Wright contributed two hits apiece.
Wayland plated eights in the second inning to put the game out of reach early. The ‘Cats only had 10 hits in the nightcap, with Laker getting two.
The Wildcats will be at home again Thursday in a non-league doubleheader against Ravenna. They will take a 6-4 overall record into the ballgames, 4-0 in the O-K Gold.