STORY BY ROB KISER - PIQUA DAILY CALL
Piqua softball ace Tina Byrd was in mid-season form on opening day — even if the weather wasn’t.

And despite a great effort from Versailles pitcher Chelsie Mayer, that was enough on a cold day for the Lady Indians to open the season with a 2-0 victory over the Lady Tigers in matchup of two programs with strong tradition.

Byrd set the tone by striking out the first six Lady Tiger batters and finished with 15, while walking just two and allowing just one hit.

“It is tough (pitching in the cold weather),” Byrd said. “But, you just have to do it. I don’t know if it (striking out the first six hitters she faced) if it gave me confidence. But, it was a good way to start.”

Then, in typical Byrd fashion, she saved her best at a critical point in the game, to preserve a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth.

Piqua’s ability to move runners led to both runs.

Betsy Stine walked and Kat Nicodemus sacrificed her to second. On a delayed steal of third, the throw ended up in the outfield and Stine hustled home.

Piqua played small-ball again in the fourth. Jessica Wilhelm singled, moved around to third on Nikki Payne’s single. Morgan Hughes struck out, but the ball popped out of catcher Emily Bohman’s glove.

Hughes had the presence to run to first and when Bohman threw to Emily Frey for the out, Wilhelm hustled home.

“It is always nice to win your opener,” Claprood said. “We need to hit the ball better, but it was cold. Tina (Byrd) did a great job and our defense made some nice plays.”

Which is a winning formula, regardless of the temperature.

LINESCORE
Versailles .....000...000...0 — 0 1 4
Piqua ...........100...010...x — 2 3 0

C. Mayer and Bohman. Byrd and Payne. WP-Byrd. LP-C. Mayer. 2B-Versailles: Coons. Records:
Piqua 1-0, Versailles 0-1.

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