Worth County got a wild 13-11 win over Northeast Nodaway to deny the Bluejays their first district win since 2006. There were eerie similarities to the last time Northeast won a district game in softball. They were playing Worth County; the game was played on the same softball field, it was a similar wild high-scoring game, and Worth County had won the regular season matchup. In 2006, Worth County could not hold an early 5-1 lead and fell behind 9-5. They recovered and came to within 9-8, only to see Northeast plate three more runs to win 12-8. In 2013, the Tigers scored 11 runs in the bottom of the first. Just as people started turning off KAAN, Northeast started to come back and tied it up at 11. But unlike the last time, Worth County kept their composure and pushed across two runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the game.
For Worth County, it was the second straight year of improvement following a one-win season in 2011. They have now won eight games this year, one over last year. They have also won four of their last five opening round district games. Now, the challenge will be to see if they can do better against Stanberry, which beat Worth County by the 10 run rule earlier this year.
Northeast put two on with nobody out in the top of the first, but Rikky Hunt snared a line drive from Talina Nelson and doubled off Kerrigan Adwell from first to give Worth County the first momentum swing. They took full advantage as Dallis Coffelt struggled in the bottom of the first for Northeast. She walked seven, hit two more batters, threw eight wild pitches, and Northeast committed three errors in the field as Worth County batted around and sent 15 batters to the plate and took an 11-0 lead. It didn't help that the plate umpire was squeezing both pitchers and not calling anything a strike unless it was right over the plate.
But Dallis settled down and retired 12 of the next 13 batters over the next four innings as Worth County was putting the ball in play, but hitting it right at people. She did it by throwing strikes, getting ahead in the count, and trusting the fielders behind her to make plays on defense. There were some outstanding defensive plays to keep Worth County off the basepaths as Northeast kept chipping away.
After a big inning, it is necessary to have a shutdown inning to take control of the game, but Jenny Seipel led off with a walk and Bailey had one of the biggest hits of her life, a screamer to the right field wall pushed along by a stiff wind that went for a double. Allie Runde grounded out, but Dallis Coffelt hit a single up the middle and Worth County made a series of wild throws on a double steal situation to move Dallis to third and score a run. Claudia Wiederholt's two run triple to the wall in right scored two more and then she came home on a wild pitch to make it 11-5. It would have been worse, but Rikky Hunt snagged a hard-hit grounder and successfully turned a 1-5-4 double play at third and second to get out of the inning. It was her second double play in two innings.
After her monster hit in the second, Bailey Judd helped Northeast with her glove, making a running basket catch to keep Katie Mullock off the basepaths in the second.
With two outs, another crazy play helped Northeast along. Mikeala McCoy hit a grounder to Rachael Gardner at first; however, instead of simply stepping on the base, she tried to tag her out. McCoy eluded the tag and was safe. That set up a two run single by Claudia Wiederholt that made it 11-7.
Jenny Seipel grounded out in the fourth to score Talina Nelson to make it 11-8. That could have been it for Northeast, but then Rikky Hunt walked the bases loaded with two outs and then McCoy showed why she had earned a spot in the lineup with a sharp single to right that scored Bailey Judd to make it 11-9. But Worth County threw behind Dallis Coffelt at second and picked her off for the third out to prevent any more damage.
Once again, Worth County got Northeast to two outs and once again, they could not get the third out as Bailey Judd walked with the bases loaded to force in a run. Allie Runde then hit a squib down the third base line and Jill Spire beat the force play home to tie it at 11. Two outstanding defensive plays by Northeast kept it tied. Second baseman Kerrigan Adwell made a running catch behind second base to take a hit away from Brianna Fletchall while Payton Adwell hit a squib in front of the plate and catcher Jill Spire's throw was off line. But first baseman Jenny Seipel somehow kept her foot on the bag and snagged the errant throw for the third out. Northeast had a chance to take the lead in the sixth, but Sidney Troutwine made a running catch to take a possible hit away from Kerrigan Adwell for the final out.
Worth County finally broke their scoring drought in the sixth as their first four batters reached safely. Kristen Andrews hit a line drive to center that dropped in safely and Adrian Fletchall hit a shot off Claudia Wiederholt's glove at short for another single. Dallis Coffelt hit Claire Andrews to load the bases. Claire was shaken up, but Kenna LaFollette ran for her and she was able to reenter the game defensively. Katie Mullock singled to center to score Kristen. Rikky Hunt grounded into a force at home, but then Sidney Troutwine hit a grounder in the hole between first and second. Kerrigan Adwell's only play was at first and Worth County was up 13-11.
Northeast was able to make things interesting in the 7th as Talina Nelson reached on an error as Troutwine was played by a hop at short. Troutwine atoned for her miscue by dropping a pop but then alertly throwing to second for a force play. She then stopped Jenny Seipel's grounder in the hole at short from going through and forced Jill Spire at second. Bailey Judd walked on four pitches and Bailey and Jenny both advanced on a wild pitch. A single could have tied it, but Allie Runde grounded out to Payton Adwell at third to end the game.
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