Abell pitches no-hitter to open season for Warriorettes

The White County High School Warriorette softball team opened the season with a win on the road against last year’s co-district champion Warren County.

“We knew it was going to take all of us,” senior and co-captain Addison Abell said.

Abell stated the White County team was well aware that starting the season against the team they shared the district title with last year would set the tone for the 2022 season.

Abell, backed by her teammates, made the game everything they anticipated it would be, winning 1-0 on the road.

But the win wasn’t just a win. Abell, starting in the circle for the Warriorettes on her last high school opening day, pitched a no-hitter – a first for the senior pitcher.

White County made a little noise in the first inning when Caydra Parker got the game started with a single to center field. Another single by Taylor Roberts and a stolen base had Parker on third, but that was as far as she would get.

Abell sat down all three Warren County batters in the bottom. In fact, she would do so again in the second, and it was the top of the third before another hitter for either team would even reach base, although it was the fourth inning before anyone would get on the scoreboard.

In the top of the fourth inning, White County’s Abbigayle Finan would reach base on an error by the Warren County shortstop. Abell would then reach first on a fielder’s choice, but Rohlander, who had been a courtesy runner for Finan, was thrown out at second.

Abell was replaced by Schalk as a courtesy runner who brought fresh legs and speed to the basepath and promptly advanced to third when Abby Guy slammed a line drive double into center field. Schalk was then able to score easily when Riley Burchett singled into left field.

The single run was all the Warriorettes would put on the board in their first game of the season, but it was one more than their opponent as Abell would strike out 19 batters while walking only four and not allowing a single hit.

“I was really nervous, but the girls, they just talked me up, and I knew that they were behind me all the way,” Abell said, and then added that she is already moving on because there is still a lot of softball to be played this season. “We have them [Warren County] at home in a month, and it will be another good game. I’m excited for everything we are going to do this season.”