Friday, October 4, 2013

Brianna Fletchall's Hit Pushes Worth County Past NEN

Brianna Fletchall's tiebreaking single in the bottom of the eighth gave the Worth County Tigers an 8-7 win over Northeast Nodaway. After they beat Braymer 26-21 in the nightcap, they could look back on some of their accomplishments for this year. They won three straight games for the first time in five years. They also won four conference games for the first time since the 2006-2007 season. They also matched their win total from last year with seven wins. They have at least two chances to improve on their win total from last year with games against North Andrew to finish out the regular season and Northeast Nodaway Wednesday to open districts at Jefferson. It was also Worth County's second consecutive extra innings win after going on the road to beat Princeton 4-3 in eight innings the night before.

For Northeast, it was a long ways from the last two meetings between the two teams, when Worth County won by nearly identical blowout scores, 20-6 last year and 20-5 the year before that. They have now won five games this year after winning only one the year before that.

Worth County scored first when Payton Adwell scored on a wild pitch. But Northeast took advantage of three Worth County errors in the second to take a 3-1 lead. Alicia Smith, who had been hitting the ball well for Northeast, hit a screamer that would have made it bigger, but it was just foul down the right field line before she struck out.

Worth County did not score in the bottom of the second as Adrian Fletchall, who once played 'Lil Tigers Football, took off from third on contact on a bunt situation. But catcher Jill Spire held her ground despite a major collision at the plate and tagged Fletchall out. She was shaken up, but stayed in the game. In the very next inning, she reached safely and beat out a slow roller to third and later came around to score on a double steal situation. Bailey Judd stole second and Worth County threw her out on the play, but Spire came home to score on the play to make it 4-1.

The Tigers got two runs back in the bottom of the third as Sidney Troutwine doubled into the right field corner. It was just fair down the line and then sliced away as two runs came around to score to make it 4-3. Northeast made it 6-3 in the top of the fourth as Talina Nelson hit a shot off Rikky Hunt's glove that caromed into left field for a double to score Dallis Coffelt and Claudia Wiederholt.

Worth County fought back to tie in the bottom of the fourth. Adrian Fletchall hit a pop fly over the third baseman's head that dropped in fair and scored Payton Adwell and Kristen Andrews. Later, Brianna Fletchall got hit by a pitch with bases loaded to score Claire Andrews. It would have been worse, but centerfielder Allie Runde made a running catch to take extra bases away from Jacklyn Brooks and preserve the 6-6 tie.

Both sides traded runs, but neither side could take over. Worth County used a two out rally to score in the 5th. Payton Adwell led off with a walk, but pitcher Dallis Coffelt snared a shot from Kristen Andrews and doubled off Payton. But then Katie Mullock was hit by a pitch and Claire Andrews hit a shot just fair past third to put them at second and third. Katie then scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-6. But Northeast tied it right back up at 7 when Jill Spire flied out to center and scored Claudia Wiederholt.

Dallis Coffelt walked in the 7th, but Northeast could not bring her around to score. Payton Adwell reached second on a throwing error by shortstop Claudia Wiederholt to lead off the bottom of the 7th, but three straight pop flies followed and she was stranded at second.

Claudia Wiederholt led off the top of the 8th with a pop fly that just dropped in for a single. But Northeast could not get her home and Worth County had another chance to win. It looked like they would not get anywhere as Adrian Fletchall grounded out and Sidney Troutwine flied out. But Rikky Hunt walked after a long battle at the plate and Kenna LaFollette ran for her. Kenna stole second and made it to third on a throwing error by Spire. Brianna Fletchall hit a hard shot that was knocked down by Wiederholt at short, but Brianna beat it out as Kenna crossed the plate for the win.

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