The Wickliffe softball team didn’t need many hits Friday. It just needed the right ones.
Behind a dominant performance from junior pitcher Leigha Blazetic and timely execution in key moments, the Blue Devils slipped past Lakewood, 3-2, in a nonconference matchup.
“It felt great coming out on top, but winning as a team felt even better,” Blazetic said.
The senior, one of the 2026 Area Softball Players to Watch, struck out 11 over seven innings, allowing just two hits and no earned runs while keeping the Rangers off balance all afternoon. After a shaky first inning, she settled in and took control.
“I was throwing a variety of different pitches,” Blazetic said. “The strike zone was low, so I used it to my advantage. I frequently use my low two-seam for those types of situations.”
Lakewood jumped in front early, manufacturing a run in the top of the first with a hit batter, a single, and a passed ball to grab a 1-0 lead.
Wickliffe answered in the third.
Audrey Musgrave reached on a one-out error, and Amanda Peklay followed with a walk to set the table. Blazetic delivered with an RBI single to tie the game, and moments later, Peklay scored on a groundout by Madelyne Prosuch to give the Blue Devils a 2-1 edge.
Lakewood pulled even in the fifth, again capitalizing on small-ball execution. A single and a two-out walk set the stage, and another passed ball brought home the tying run.
But Wickliffe responded immediately.
Peklay and Blazetic worked back-to-back one-out walks, putting pressure on the defense. With Sophia Ervin at the plate, Peklay came around to score on a passed ball, giving the Blue Devils a 3-2 lead they would not surrender.
From there, Blazetic shut the door, finishing off her 11-strikeout performance to secure Wickliffe’s second straight win and move the Blue Devils to 2-1 on the season after a season-opening loss to Gilmour Academy.
“Gilmour was tough,” Blazetic said. “I knew it was going to be a challenge, and respect how much talent their offense has. I learned to move on from the last play to focus on the next. It also gave my team the chance to reveal what we need to work on. With that, we worked on it, and it paid off from these last two wins.”
Peklay led the offense, going 1-for-1 with two runs scored and two walks. Blazetic helped her own cause with a hit, an RBI, and a walk, while Musgrave reached base and scored. Prosuch added a key RBI, and Abby Sulyok chipped in with a walk.
Wickliffe returns to action Saturday when it hosts Eastlake North.
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