By DOUG DONNELLY

OTTAWA LAKE – Peyton Welch rose to the occasion Saturday.

The Whiteford sophomore pitcher struck out 12 St. Mary Catholic Central batters in the Division 3 district finals Saturday, leading the Bobcats to a district championship.

“Welch didn’t walk a batter today,” Whiteford coach Matt VanBrandt said. “She didn’t hit a batter today. Her command was outstanding and she just kept pounding the zone.”

SMCC had five hits in the game, but Welch kept the Kestrels off the scoreboard.

In the fourth inning, SMCC had two runners on with one out and she struck out the next two batters. In the fifth inning, SMCC had a runner on third base when Welch induced a ground out to third base. In the sixth, SMCC got its leadoff runner on, but she never moved past first. In the seventh, the SMCC leadoff batter fouled off seven pitches and worked the count full before Welch got her to pop up to shortstop. the game ended on a called third strike.

“It felt like they had runners on in every inning,” VanBrandt said. “Peyton had the confidence and the defense behing her was outstanding.”

Welch said after the win that she has been working on her confidence.

“It’s been a lot of hard work over the years, trying to be mentally tough and confident with my pitches,” she said. “When they have so many runners on, it obviously doesn’t feel good, but you have to turn the negative into a positive.”

VanBrandt praised the poise Welch showed.

“She was a bulldog today,” he said. “Going into that last inning, I was confident she was going to do what she had done all day.”

At the plate, the Bobcats did just enough to win.

Ava Butz singled in a run in the bottom of the second inning to put Whiteford on the board. In the sixth, Ava Stevens doubled to the fence. Senior Bailey Spradling then hit a liner to center field. Avy Swy, pinch-running for Stevens, rounded third and got the stop sign from VanBrandt. When the throw home got past the catcher, Swy scooted across the plate for a big insurance run.

“This is a scrappy bunch,” VanBrandt said. “We’re not mashers, but we can put the ball in play and make you play defense.”

The Bobcats beat Erie Mason 10-1 to advance to the finals. Addeson Cousino went 2-for-4, including a double, with three RBIs. Spradling, who had five hits on the day, went 3-for-4 in the opener. Welch had two hits, including a double.

In the circle, Welch struck out 10.

The two wins gave Whiteford a 20-11 overall record this season and district championship No. 28 all-time.

“Whiteford softball has been pretty consistent through the years, thanks to (former head coach, Kris Hubbard) Coach Hubbard,” VanBrandt said. “The expectation is always to compete for a district, regional and state title, every single year. That doesn’t change. Sometimes you have the talent to get you there, sometimes we don’t, but it doesn’t change how we prepare physically and mentally.”