OTTUMWA — Courtney Wagner had been here before.

The scene might have been changed, but the situation and the sun setting remained the same.

This time her Ottumwa Bulldog softball squad finished it the right way — with a win.

It could be a big one at that as Wagner’s savvy inside the pitcher’s circle and some timely plays concluded the Ottumwa Softball Classic on Saturday in winning style for head coach Frank Huston’s squad.

A day before, after learning they would have the first losing regular season in school history, Huston’s Bulldogs responded with two critical wins.

The last one — aided by Wagner — was the most impressive.

Wagner shut down sixth-ranked Keokuk in the classic’s final contest and Tricia Bix’s screaming liner to right field won it for Ottumwa in the bottom of the 13th inning by a score of 2-1.

Ottumwa also defeated Fairfield in the game prior to the 13-inning thriller, 4-3.

Pitching long into the night is something Wagner, a freshman, is getting accustomed to.

Wagner pitched 14 scoreless innings in a game versus Des Moines Roosevelt on June 9. The problem was the game was suspended due to darkness and no victor was declared with the score knotted at zeros.

“I was thinking, come on, I don’t want to go like this again,” said Wagner, about the prospect of not winning another extra-inning affair. “I was so nervous. I had to do everything in my power I could possibly to do so they didn’t get a run.”

Starting with the Roosevelt contest — which will be completed at Huston Field on Wednesday — Wagner has struck out 42 batters over 43 innings and allowed just three earned runs. Her fighting a bad back is as equally impressive as her prowess over hitters.

Wagner fanned 13 batters on Saturday versus the Chiefs and repeatedly got out of jam after jam in a game that worked its way into the shadows of the night that were fast approaching.

“First of all, Keokuk is highly rated and has a fine pitcher. For our pitcher to go out there and match her, that was very, very important,” said Huston.

Bix’s key blast, even though it was ruled an error, was huge. Keokuk sophomore hurler Hannah Washburn allowed just five hits all night.