Jefferson softball coach Ed Whiting always knew he wanted to substitute her in as a pinch hitter.

He just wasn’t sure when.

The moment arrived in the top of the fifth inning when Whiting inserted Cavaliers freshman Makenzie Bierman. She made an immediate impact, hitting a solo shot that tied the game in her first at-bat, but at that time it didn’t look indicative of anything or particularly game-changing.

“Her performance all year long and throughout training is what goes into that decision,” Whiting said. “After she leaves the yard, it's like, she has to stay in. So you let her stay in, and she kept doing what she does, a big moment for a freshman, because sometimes that moment gets too big. She's used to playing on really highly competitive teams, big tournaments, and she just did wha

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