Senior ace Brynn Belstle threw a perfect game as the Lady Bulldogs blanked Westran 13-0 in the championship game of the New Franklin Tournament on Saturday. 

Belstle struck out 10 batters while posting zeros across the board for hits, runs, and walks over a spectacular five-inning performance.

The complete-game shutout was the second in a row, as New Franklin didn’t allow a single run in back-to-back games to clinch the first-place trophy.

A first-round bye automatically advanced New Franklin to the tournament semifinals against Jamestown. Belstle was in fine form to start the day, allowing just two hits while issuing a pair of walks and striking out 12 of 22 batters faced.

New Franklin managed just two hits against Jamestown pitcher Olivia Meisenheimer, singles each from Lilly and Isabelle Chitwood. The Eagles’ hurler also struck out 10 Lady Bulldogs but issued five walks.

One of those walks turned into a run after Lilly Chitwood scored on a passed ball in the top of the first inning.

She later scored New Franklin’s second run of the day when she stole home in the top of the third inning to complete the scoring.

The Lady Bulldogs’ bats went to work behind their starting ace’s outstanding performance against Westran. With a six-run lead after three innings, New Franklin broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth with seven runs on a double by Isabelle Chitwood and a single by Belstle, along with four walks, two Westran errors, and a hit batsman.

New Franklin drove in 11 of its 13 runs on nine hits and seven walks. Belstle and Lilly and Isabelle Chitwood each doubled. Belstle backed up her perfect pitching with a 2-for-3 hitting performance with a game-high four RBI and a run scored.

CannaRassa Jennings had the long hit of the day, a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. Emerson Eads drove in two runs and scored twice. Isabelle Chitwood, Skylar Shaw, and Korinna Chitwood each drove in a run.

On Monday, New Franklin won their 10th game of the season with an easy 17-0 defeat of Brunswick in two and a half innings at home. On Tuesday, the Bulldogs traveled to Fayette for the second meeting between the two area rivals this season after the Advertiser went to press. New Franklin won the first matchup 13-4 in the semifinals of the Boonville Tournament.

The Bulldogs travel to Community next Monday before returning home to host Glasgow on Tuesday.