Freshman Kalli Wilson’s single to right field gave the Knoxville Softball Squad a one-to-nothing walk-off win in the bottom of the eighth inning to allow the Panthers to advance to the class 4A regional semi-finals over Pella.

The game, heard live on 92.1 KRLS and 95.3 KNIA, was a stalemate through seven innings as both pitchers, Knoxville’s Ashlyn Finarty and Pella Ella Corbin, controlled the game and induced weak pop ups or ground outs. The Panthers had their chances to take a lead throughout the game leaving ten runners on base with six in scoring position. Pella had fewer base runners but also had chances to put runs on the board but Knoxville always made a crucial play to end the threat. Panthers Coach Carla Smith told KRLS Sports she put Wilson at the plate just to see if she could step up and get a hit and she came through.

Smith:
“Kalli has done a great job for us in hitting situations this year, we needed a hit and I just pulled her off the bench and I gave her the opportunity and she really came through tonight.”

Elaina Hamilton was the run that scored as she got on base with a double and advanced to third on a throwing error. Hamilton, another freshman, went 2/3 while Melanie Sullivan was also 2/3. Pella Head Coach Teresa Thompson says while it was a loss, it was perhaps the best the Lady Dutch defense and pitching staff performed all season.

Thompson:
“I asked them at the beginning of the game and at practice all week–I said we just need to put together seven solid innings and we played tough D, we had very few errors, we didn’t have a ton of baserunners and hits, but when we did, we tried to move them around and did the best that we could, and give credit to Knoxville as well, they played a great game and our defense really held them because I know they had a lot of runners on and we got out of a lot of jams.”

Finarty got the win going five innings allowing no runs on just three hits and five strikeouts, Jadyn Streigle pitched the final three innings of relief and allowed no hits and a strikeout. Ella Corbin took the loss allowing one run on five hits, and six walks. Pella finishes the season at 3-16 while Knoxville is now 10-4 and will travel to class 4A #1 ranked Carlisle in the regional semi-final on Saturday, a game you can hear live on 95.3 KNIA at 6:45pm.