The Wayland varsity softball team’s winning streak continued Saturday with two victories to take the championship in the Centreville Invitational.
The Lady Wildcats now are 18-2 overall and have won their last 15 games in a row. Barring a major upset or slump, they stand poised to regain the O-K Gold Conference championship they relinquished two years ago to Middleville Thornapple Kellogg.
The highlight of the day was a pair of no-hitters thrown by pitchers Emma Ludema and Kayla Reed. Ludema shut down host Centreville 7-1 and Reed blanked Sturgis 18-0.
Ludema went seven innings, walking one and striking out 11.
The Wildcats got their offense rolling in the second inning when Ludema doubled and later came home. They added three more runs in the fifth inning, as Kennedy Cole homered and Kaelyn Sikkema added an RBI.
Emma Tornes, Ludema and Sikkema had two hits apiece.
Rya Vanderkooi clubbed a homer, a double and a single and drove in five runs in the opening round victory over Sturgis. The ‘Cats scored 11 times in the second inning. Grace Kincaid, Vanderkooi, Emma Tornes, Reed and Cole all collected three hits for the day.
Reed walked one and struck out two in three innings or work on the mound.
Coach Cheri Ritz’s Wildcats have three O-K Gold Conference doubleheaders left, with Kenowa Hills Tuesday, Cedar Springs Wednesday and Ottawa Hills Friday. They’ll be shooting for an undefeated league season.
Just like old times.
