MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer broke the single-season program record for victories Monday when the Rockets defeated Zeeland West 1-0. The team’s 30th win of the season also earned a share of the O-K Green Conference title.
The Rockets had to settle for a split when the Dux avenged the loss Tuesday with a 3-2 walk-off win. Each team ended the conference season with 13-1 league records.
Monday’s game was cut short by lightning and weather, but by league rule, since five full innings were completed, the Rockets were declared the winner. Tessa Ross delivered what became effectively a walk-off hit, lashing a double into the left center field gap in the fifth inning to score Kyleigh Bilek. Prior to Ross’ double, R-P’s Kaylee Jones was the only player on either team to reach second base as the pitchers dominated.
Lainey McDaniel earned the win in the circle, overwhelming Zeeland West batters with 12 strikeouts and no walks, allowing just one hit.
R-P took a 2-0 lead when play resumed Tuesday, as Mady Snyder drove in a run with a single in the first inning and McDaniel scored on a wild pitch in the third. However, the Dux came back with a run in the fourth and pushed across the tying and winning runs in the seventh, taking advantage of a pair of Rocket errors, their only miscues of the game. Natalie Kunnen had two hits for R-P, and McDaniel pitched another strong game, allowing only one earned run on three hits and striking out nine.
