By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High star junior pitcher NiJaree Canady feels like there's still "room for improvement'' for herself and the Trojans' softball team. .
Given the Trojans' impressive performance Tuesday in a 5-0, 10-0 doubleader road sweep over fellow Class 6A power Washburn Rural, that's a scary thought.
"There's always room for improvement," Canady said after turning in a pair of complete-game pitching performances against . "I felt good out there and coming here and getting a win is always good.
"We knew coming here it would be good games and we had some good practices yesterday. It gives us a lot of confidence."
Topeka High junior NiJaree Canady gave up just five hits while striking out 28 in Tuesday's 5-0, 10-0 doubleheader sweep at Washburn Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Canady gave up two straight hits to Rural junior Campbell Bagshaw and senior Olivia Bruno open the first game, but was in command the rest of the day, twirling a three-hitter with 17 strikeouts in the first game and following that up with a two-hit, 11-strikeout performance in the second game as Topeka High improved to 10-0 on the season.
And as good as Canady was on the mound, the Trojans were just as good at the plate, piling up 24 hits and a whopping six home runs on the day.
"We got production from everybody today," Topeka High coach Shane Miles said. "Everybody got bunts down, we got situational stuff, we got big hits."
Trojan star senior catcher Zoe Caryl connected on home runs in both games while junior Elycia Joyce hit her first two home runs of the season, including a huge three-run shot in a four-run third inning that broke open the first game.
"I was feeling good and I had a 3-1 count so I thought (Bruno) throw me right down the middle and she did," Joyce said. "I was looking for it and I took it.
"Seeing these people like Zoe leading us with six home runs this season, I want to do that. I want to get as many home runs as I can."
Joyce added a two-run homer in the second game as Topeka High also got round-trippers from Caryl, Canady and senior Tatum Wilson in a six-run sixth that enabled the Trojans to end the game after six innings because of the 10-run spread.
Washburn Rural junior Campbell Bagshaw opens the Junior Blues' first at-bat Tuesday against Topeka High with a long single. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN}
Washburn Rural, playing just its second doubleheader of the season, never got untracked against Topeka High, with the 2-2 Junior Blues managing just four singles and Baylee Dial's first-game double in the twinbill.
FIRST GAME
TOPEKA HIGH 5, WASHBURN RURAL 0
Topeka High 004 010 0 -- 5 8 0
Washburn Rural 000 000 0 -- 0 3 0
Canady and Zoe Caryl. Bruno and Louderback. WP -- Canady. LP -- Bruno. 2B -- Topeka High: Zoe Caryl, Canady, Washburn Rural: Dial. HR -- Topeka High: Joyce, Zoe Caryl.
SECOND GAME
TOPEKA HIGH 10, WASHBURN RURAL 0
Topeka High (10-0, 8-0) 000 406 x -- 10 16 4
Washburn Rural (2-2, 2-2) 000 000 x -- 0 2 2
Canady and Zoe Caryl. Cope, Bruno (6) and Louderback. WP -- Canady. LP -- Cope. 2B -- Topeka High: Adysen Caryl. 3B — Topeka High: Wilson. HR -- Topeka High: Z. Caryl, Canady, Joyce, Wilson.
