By DOUG DONNELLY

MADISON TOWNSHIP – It has been a big week for Lindsey Walker.

Earlier this week the Whiteford Bobcat senior softball player verbally committed to Ave Maria University in southwest Florida and on Wednesday picked up two pitching victories to set the all-time career Bobcat record for pitching wins.

Whiteford’s 4-1 and 10-7 wins over Madison put the Bobcats in perfect position for the rest of the Tri-County Conference softball season. The Bobcats are 8-0 in league play, three games ahead of both Clinton and Madison in league play.

“That was huge for the TCC,” Whiteford coach Kris Hubbard said. “We have a three-game lead. It’s a huge step. We’re not home free, but it helps.”

Walker said she wasn’t comfortable at the plate early in the double header on windy day at Madison. She took out her frustrations with herself on the Madison hitters, striking out 18 batters in 13 innings of work.

“I was struggling really bad in the first game,” said Walker. “I was mad at myself. I kind of let my pitching take it out on them. It made me feel better.”

Her bat came to life in the second game. Walker had a single, double and belted a home run over the left field fence in the seventh inning.

“I was just trying to swing, and I hit it over,” she said. “I just didn’t want to pop up.”

The two wins gives her 77 for her career – breaking the Bobcat record of 76 previously held by Wendy Adams.

“She was dominant,” Whiteford coach Kris Hubbard said of Walker. “She gets better and better. She’s a warm-weather kid. She throws better in warm weather. I was a little concerned about tonight because of the cold.”

Walker said she wore several layers, even putting a sweatshirt on over her uniform.

“The warm weather helps my shoulder,” she said. “I just added the layers and stayed loose. I was in a groove.”

For the day, Karsyn Berns-Moore had a single and two triples and scored three runs. Katie Lipp had two singles and a double. Madison Durden had three hits. Milly Iott had two singles and two RBIs and Mallory Simmons slugged a single and a double as the Bobcats improved to 15-1 on the season.

Durden and Jessica Link made diving catches to help the Bobcat defense.

“It’s hard to complain about 15-1,” Hubbard said.