Wagers allowed two hits and struck out 15 to hand the Rams their first home loss in nearly four years.
“I just love playing this game and playing with my teammates,” Wagers said. “I felt loose and I felt fast today. We wanted to come in here loose and have fun, and we did.”
Williamsburg, which went to the Division IV state semifinals last year, put three runs on the board in the third inning with the help of three Badin errors.
That was all Wagers needed.
“(Williamsburg) talked to me about pumping up his schedule, and we really wanted to see (Wagers) before tourney time,” Badin coach Greg Stitzel said. “She is really good, really fast, and if we are fortunate enough to do good in the tournament, we are going to see someone like her down the road. They are a solid bunch and obviously they have a good pitcher.”
In the Wildcats’ three-run third, Faith Golden had a single and came all the way around when Badin tossed a bunt into right field. Another Ram error plated another run before Wagers ended the scoring on a sacrifice fly.
Badin had another error in the seventh inning that resulted in a run.
“I told the girls before the game it would come down to whoever made the most mistakes, and unfortunately we did,” Stitzel said. “Hopefully we learn from this. Against a good pitcher, we have to be aggressive and not take pitches.”
Wagers took a no-hitter into the sixth, but Sydney Rawlings ended it with a solid single to right field. Badin avoided the shutout in the seventh when Lauren Moser walked and came home on Nicole Rawlings’ double.
Wagers said a number of factors helped Tuesday.
“One, the wind. Two, my defense. And three, my catcher and the pitch calls,” Wagers said. “My defense was very good today, as were my pitch calls. I felt really good out there.”
“First off, Badin is a fabulous team that is very well coached and is a team of fine young ladies,” Wildcats coach Rick Healey said. “We played well. We really wanted to pick teams that could help us for the tourney, and certainly Badin does that. You have Badin, Ross, Williamsburg and we are all at the top of the rankings, so it is good we play each other, especially right before tournament time.”
Nicole Rawlings took the loss, allowing eight hits while striking out four as Badin fell to 21-2.
Williamsburg improved to 21-1 and Wagers increased her strikeout total to 177 on the season while winning her 11th game.
Badin hosts Purcell Marian on Wednesday as the Rams look to wrap up another outright Greater Catholic League Coed Central Division title.
The Wildcats will be at home against Clinton-Massie on Thursday.
Williamsburg 003-000-2—5-8-1
Badin 000-000-1—1-2-4
WP — Carly Wagers (11-1); LP — Nicole Rawlings (19-2). Records: W 21-1, B 21-2
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