— Sometimes a monster game comes from the most unlikely source in fastpitch softball and that is what happened to the Hilldale Lady Hornets on Monday against the Wagoner Lady Bulldogs.

Sophomore Jessie Casey, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, busted through with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with five RBIs, including her first home run of the season, to lead Hilldale (12-2) past Wagoner (5-7) 9-1 in six innings at Hilldale’s diamond.

“I felt like I was seeing the ball real well,” Casey said. “The home run was a fastball down the middle of the plate and I kept my head on it.”

Hilldale coach Darren Riddle was equally as proud of his flex player.

“What a game she had,” Riddle said. “Although we all hit the ball well, Jessie was on top.”

Six of the nine Lady Hornets had multi-hit games. Besides Casey’s three hits, Destiny Riddle was 3-for-4 while Hillary Calvert, Sarah Hughey, Katie Keifer and McKensie Plant were 2-for-4.

“We’ve scored a lot of runs this season, but you have to give Wagoner’s defense credit,” Riddle said. “Their center fielder (Hali Chandler) made two excellent diving catches. The left fielder (Kali Goforth) played a couple of balls really well and their shortstop (Ryann Jacobson) kept three or four balls from leaving the infield.”

Meanwhile, Destiny Riddle (12-1) added to her solid performances in the circle this season with a one-hitter, facing just two batters over the minimum, while striking out seven.

“I had good command of all my pitches,” the Lady Hornets’ pitcher said. “When they were looking fastball, I gave them a changeup and vice-versa. There were also times that when they were looking for the change-up and they were still out in front of it.”

Casey began her day in the bottom of the second with a double to left, driving home Calvert with the first run of the game.

Two innings later, Casey stepped up and drove a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence to put Hilldale up 3-0.

“It was just my day,” Casey said. “I got some hits this year and cheered on the team. I just had to wait my turn.”

In the meantime, Destiny Riddle had only allowed one baserunner to that point who reached on an error. Then came her only hiccup when McKenzie Davis drilled the first pitch of the fifth inning down the leftfield line for a double and eventually came home on a wild pitch for the Lady Bulldogs’ only run.

“The hit was a curveball that didn’t break,” Destiny said. “The wild pitch was a mistake on my part, like losing focus.”

Not to be outdone, Wagoner pitcher Caitlyn Collins kept Hilldale in check. While she had surrendered three runs through five innings, she stranded four runners in scoring position and scattered 10 hits.

“Caitlyn threw a very efficient game,” said Wagoner coach Jimmy Lewis. “A lot of that also had to do with Kelsi Emmons our catcher. I let her call the game and she knew exactly where she wanted the pitches.”

Appropriately, it was Casey who ended the game with a two-run single in the home half of the sixth inning to give the Lady Hornets the run-rule win.

“I had no idea that was the game-winner,” Casey said. “I just wanted to keep the inning going and not make the first and third out.”

Even though Lewis was disappointed with the outcome, especially the final inning, he was still proud of his team’s performance.

“We have a very young ball club and we hung with one of the best teams in the state on their turf,” he said. “When I was here before, we didn’t know how to win. This team is getting close and when they do learn how, the flood gates are gonna open.”