Karns City's Alyssa Stitt waits for a pitch during the Gremlins' 11-1 win over Leechburg at Diehl Stadium Thursday. Stitt had a pair of hits, including a double, and scored two runs in the rout.

KARNS CITY — Two-out thunder.

“That's our motto,” Karns City softball coach Mike Stitt said. “It means we don't give up on an inning. We never settle. We keep on hitting.”

The Gremlins (8-1) played by that motto Thursday night at Diehl Stadium, scoring four runs after two were out in the fifth inning. Those tallies wrapped up an 11-1 five-inning victory over Leechburg.

No. 9 hitter and winning pitcher Logan Byers singled to right with two outs and no one on in the fifth. Emily Wolfe followed with a home run. Alyssa Stitt walked, Mackenzie Dunn doubled and Taylor Ekis lined a two-run single to left to end the game.

Ekis had four singles in as many at bats, tallying five RBI.

“This was my best hitting game of the season,” Ekis said. “I've had two hits in a few games ... I've never had four.”

The first four hitters in the Gremlins' lineup — Wolfe, Stitt, Dunn and Ekis — combined to collect nine hits in 10 at bats, scoring eight runs and driving in eight.

“We haven't been relying on our first few hitters,” Stitt said. “This team hits the ball one through nine in the batting order.

“Get runners on, move them around, That's what these girls do.”

The Gremlins had 12 hits in the game.

Karns City graduated only one senior from last year's team.

“We have a lot of players back and we're hungry for more success,” Wolfe said. “Everyone is working hard because we believe we can have a big year.”

Byers had a big night on the mound. She struck out five, walked only one and scattered four hits. Leechburg's lone run was a solo homer to center by Grace Reinke in the fourth.

“Give Logan a lead and she's really tough. She knows how to protect it,” Stitt said.

Leechburg lost for only the second time in 11 games this season. The Blue Devils are averaging 14 runs per game in their nine wins.

“We always score a lot of runs,” Leechburg coach Debbi Young said. “Tonight, we were a deer in headlights at the plate. I don't know what was going on.”

Karns City took control of the game early. The Gremlins scored twice in the first inning on a two-run single by Ekis. Two errors and a sacrifice fly by Alyssa Stitt produced three more runs in the second for a 5-0 lead.

The Gremlins have played only one road game so far this season. They travel to Clarion Monday.

Leechburg 000 10x x — 1 4 2

Karns City 230 24x x — 11 12 0

W: Logan Byers 5IP (5K, 1BB). L: Morgan Pierce 4.2IP (7K, 5BB).

Leechburg (9-2): Morgan Pierce 2B, Grace Reinke HR 1B, Kiera Jones 1B

Karns City (8-1): Emily Wolfe HR 2-RBI 3-R, Alyssa Stitt 2B 1B RBI 3-R, Mackenzie Dunn 2-2B 2-R, Taylor Ekis 4-1B 5-RBI, Kate Allen 2B RBI, Katie Neff 2B, Logan Byers 1B 2-R

Monday: Karns City at Clarion