Bluejays, Hindered by Illnesses, Drop Two

Northeast Nodaway, still struggling to find its way after its four-game winning streak was snapped, lost to Plattsburg and Union Star Saturday as they went 0-3 in the Union Star Tournament. The Bluejays came off the King City game with an impressive 12-7 win over a North Nodaway team that had beaten them in the NEN Tournament and which had advanced into the winner's bracket in the Union Star Tournament. But then everything turned on its head for the final two games of the Union Star Tournament -- Northeast put the ball in play, but hit it right at people; their hitting had been one of their strengths during their winning streak. Northeast had some of its best fielding since reviving its softball program last year, only making one error in each of their two games Saturday and made some spectacular plays; their fielding had been a liability for most of the year. Pitchers Taylor Dougan and Emily Bryant were sick and only played at half strength; they battled gamely but both fought the strike zone all morning long. Finally, Dougan could not go on and was replaced by Bryant during the Union Star game.

Plattsburg 4, Northeast Nodaway 2

Northeast couldn't make a 1-0 lead stand up as they lost to the Plattsburg Tigers 4-2 in the first round of the loser's bracket Saturday morning. Plattsburg got a one-out walk in the top of the first but couldn't score as Dorothy Ward hit a towering fly ball to Mallorie Peters in center that she caught. Coach Rex Wallace had lamented earlier outfield errors by the Bluejays, who had struggled to make routine catches earlier in the year and muffed three against Pattonsburg. But Northeast had no trouble catching routine fly balls in Union Star Saturday.

Taylor Dougan walked to start the Northeast first and then Emily Bryant popped out to short. But then Rachel Runde hit a sharp grounder to short that was bobbled and she was safe on an error. A wild pitch moved Dougan to third and Runde stole second. Blair Schmitz then grounded out to score Dougan. But in an omen of things to come, Hallie Oelze hit a line shot that was right at the third baseman that was caught for the third out of the inning. That was the story for Northeast -- their fielding, which was the best all year, kept them in the game and gave them a chance to win, but they were hitting balls right at people for outs instead of hits. Against Plattsburg, they had trouble solving Samantha Gibson, whose slow breaking balls dove sharply and produced many bad swings and called strikes.

The same thing happened in the second -- Northeast hit the ball hard twice but had nothing to show for it. Sarah Fox got one of her hardest hits of the year, a shot off the third baseman's glove that rolled away for a single. But Kristan Judd's hard-hit drive was right at the left fielder, who snared it for the first out; Mallorie Peters and Allison Carter grounded out to end the inning and Northeast could not raise their lead.

Plattsburg went hitless for the first three innings, but Gibson helped herself out as she hit a sharp grounder down the line at third for their first hit of the game in the fourth. Northeast's lone error of the game was costly as Blair Schmitz fielded a bunt but her throw pulled Hallie Oelze off the bag and everyone was safe. Then, Dougan began showing the effects of her illness and the sweltering morning heat and began fighting the strike zone. Rachel Kent bunted into a force play at third for the first out, but Dougan then walked the bases loaded. She almost got out of the inning as Shelby Cox grounded into a force play at the plate, but then Dougan uncorked a wild pitch to let in the tying run.

Northeast nearly got the lead back; with one out, Hallie Oelze reached on a misplayed hop by the third baseman. Sarah Fox reached on another misplayed grounder by the third baseman and they went to second and third on a wild pitch. But they were stranded there as both Kristan Judd and Mallorie Peters struck out looking.

Again Northeast almost got out of the inning and again Plattsburg scored with two outs; this time, they took the lead for good. Dougan fought back from a 3-0 count to get Gibson out on a grounder to Bryant at short but then the red Tigers got consecutive singles from Dorothy Ward and Rachel Kent to chase Dougan and bring on Bryant. Bryant walked Cayla Wyatt to load the bases with one out but was seemingly out of the inning when Jill Apple popped out to Hallie Oelze at short for the second out. But then Megan Schurle singled between first and second with two strikes on her to put Plattsburg up 3-1.

Northeast got one run back in the bottom of the fifth; with one out, Taylor Dougan tripled over the right fielder's head. Emily Bryant struck out, but then Rachel Runde singled with a high chopper past third. She went to third on two wild pitches and Blair Schmitz fought back from a 1-2 count to walk, but then Hallie Oelze struck out to end the inning.

Plattsburg got an insurance run in the top of the sixth. With one out, Jessica Buckley and Gibson walked to chase Bryant and bring back Dougan. Ward and Kent singled past a drawn-in infield, but then Dougan settled down to get Wyatt on a called third strike and Jill Apple swinging. But Northeast could not make up the difference as they went in order in the bottom of the sixth and the game was called at that point due to the time limit.

Union Star 7, Northeast Nodaway 2

When the two teams met the last time, Taylor Dougan threw a no-hitter and they scored at will after the third inning. But it was a completely different matchup when the teams met for the 7th place game of the Union Star Tournament Saturday. Northeast made yet another sparkling defensive play when Rachel Runde snared a line drive from Hannah Dodd and doubled off Kaylee Barnett from first in the top of the first. They would make these sorts of fielding plays all game, but they gave up too many walks and did not get enough offense this time around.

Northeast had baserunners in every inning, but they reverted to earlier-season form as they could not get the big hit to bring them around. In the bottom of the first, Emily Bryant got a nice two-strike hit as she hit a pop fly single to left. But Rachel Runde hit a weak popup to the catcher and Blair Schmitz, who had been their hot hand, struck out to end the inning.

In the meantime, Dougan continued to battle the sweltering heat as well as illness as she gave up a one-out double to Hannah McGinnis to start the Trojan second. McGinnis stole third and then went home on a passed ball. Falicia Grannas grounded out to Hallie Oelze at second but then Northeast could not get the final out of the inning as Audrey Silvey singled and then Lauren Humphrey and Shelby Ray walked to load the bases for Kaylee Barnett, who singled in two runs to make it 3-0.

Dougan was unable to continue after that point, which took away some pop in the lineup as Dougan had been coming on strong at the plate. Coach Rex Wallace moved Emily Bryant to the mound, Mallorie Peters to second base, Hallie Oelze to shortstop, and Allison Carter to centerfield. Hillary Todd reached on an error as a grounder rolled through Rachel Runde's legs at third and stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Jerika Wilkerson grounded out to score her to make it 4-0; Hannah McGinnis singled and stole second as Union Star threatened to make a big inning of it. But Mallorie Peters, who had struggled at second earlier in the year, made a sparkling play at that position as she snared a line drive and doubled off McGinnis from second to end the inning.

Northeast could not score in the third as Rachel Runde's two out single to left was wasted when Blair Schmitz popped out to the mound to end the inning. Schmitz made a nice stretch at first to snare Oelze's throw from short to retire Silvey's grounder for the first out of the fourth but then Bryant began to fight the strike zone, walking Humphrey and Ray. They advanced on a wild pitch, but Barnett grounded to Oelze at short, whose accurate throw nailed Humphrey at the plate for the second out. But Hannah Todd reached on a dropped third strike and then Hillary Todd's pop fly single plated two more runs to make it 6-0. It could have been worse as Union Star's best hitter, Jerika Wilkerson was up next, but Bryant got out of the inning by knocking down a hard shot and retiring Wilkerson to end the fourth.

The Bluejays got two on with two out in the fourth, but once again, couldn't score. Kristan Judd hit a single into the gap in right center and then Mallorie Peters reached on an error when the shortstop dropped a pop fly and Judd beat out the force play at second. But Katrina Freemeyer struck out to end the inning.

The Trojans scored their final run in the game to make it 7-0 when Grannas singled to center, stole second, and then came home on a couple of wild pitches. Northeast finally got going and put some runs on the board in the final inning before time was called. Allison Carter beat out an infield single when the second baseman knocked down a hard line drive but had no play at first. Emily Bryant singled to left bast short and Rachel Runde moved them over with a grounder to the pitcher. Blair Schmitz hit a pop fly single just past the second baseman's glove to score them both and account for the final score.