WESTPHALIA, Mo. A thrilling game came to an exciting end with a game-winning single off a Blair Oaks bat. Unfortunately for the Lady Falcons, it was in the hands of Fatima leadoff hitter Leah Kesel.

Kesel, a senior, is in the process of buying a bat from Blair Oaks pitcher Payton Staggs, who plays with Kesel for the Missouri Stealth in the summer. Kesel still has to pay Staggs for the bat, but Kesel made Staggs pay Wednesday night, using the bright orange bat to hit a pitch thrown by Staggs to left-center for a walk-off single.

The Lady Comets claimed an 8-7 win against Blair Oaks in a Class 2 sectional game.

Just a half-inning earlier, the Lady Falcons rallied from down 4-3 to take a 7-4 advantage into the bottom of the seventh. The Lady Comets matched them, plating four runs of their own and sending the home crowd into hysterics.

Its just a rush of adrenaline, and I absolutely love the feeling, Kesel said.

It was the third hit of the day for Kesel, who also pitched, allowing five earned runs and striking out nine. She scored each of her first three trips to the plate.

Leah came through huge at the end something I know she can do, and she did it, Fatima coach Dana Scheppers said. Thats senior leadership right there, coming up to the plate knowing you can do it.

Kesel held Blair Oaks scoreless until the fifth inning, and she had three runs of support behind her. Michelle Barnhart scored Kesel in the first inning with a single in the third inning with a double. Kristen Boeckmann singled Barnhart home in the third as well.

The Lady Falcons erased the lead, however, with a three-run fifth. Carli Buschjost walked, Taylor Markway hit an infield single, Lauren Viessman drove in Buschjost with another single, and Jolie Duffner reached first on an error that allowed Markway and Viessman to score.

Before the inning ended, the Lady Comets took the lead right back. Kesel singled, Barnhart sacrified her to second, and Sammey Bunch singled her in. Morgan Brandt singled, Boeckmann walked, and Fatima looked poised to broaden its lead.

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Lady Comets edge Blair Oaks in sectional game