Worth County’s Junior High softball Tigers have reversed their fortunes from last year. Last year, at this point, they were 1-5. Now, they are 5-1 with quality wins over Platte Valley and King City under their belts. The next challenge will be to find a group of sixth graders to step up next year – all but two of their current players are eighth graders.
North Andrew was another team that has shown a lot of promise – their pitcher, Liberty Thompson, is only a 7th grader and is already throwing at a varsity level. But Worth County attacked the ball, only taking four pitches for strikes, and one of those was supposed to be taken since there was a steal on. The result was a walkoff 2-1 victory over a solid team that will bring immediate help to the varsity Cardinal squad next year.
It looked at first like Thompson would overmatch the Tigers as they struck out twice in the first inning. But they would only strike out two more times the rest of the way. Worth County threatened for the first time in the second when Ali Brown shot one off Thompson’s glove for a scratch hit. She stole second and Claire McElvain advanced her to third. Madelyn Runde worked Thompson for a walk on a 3-2 pitch and stole second, making it second and third with one out. But then Autumn Cousatte struck out and Kara Staton hit one hard, but right at shortstop Madisyn Fischer for the third out.
North Andrew scored first when Katryna Warren singled and stole second. Worth County threw it away twice trying to retire her, and she came around to score to make it 1-0. That is the sort of play that new coach Cody Green has been seeking to get rid of.
But with time running out and only 13 minutes left to play, Worth County got the run back in the bottom of the fourth. Taylor Sanders singled to left and went to second when left fielder Kelsey Rathburn let it get by for an error. Ali Brown flied out to center to advance her, and Claire McElvain singled down the left field line to tie it up at 1-1.
North Andrew threatened in the fifth when Jaclyn Riedinger led off with a single and stole second. The stage was set for the Cardinals to regain the lead, but Madisyn Fischer’s line drive was right at second baseman Kara Staton for the first out. The next two grounded out and Worth County was out of the inning.
The bottom of the order was coming up for Worth County in the fifth, but Autumn Cousatte worked a walk after getting to a 3-2 count and stole second. Kara Staton popped out, but ZeeAnna Gladstone grounded out to move Cousatte to third. Haley Adwell hit a slow roller down the third base line. Third baseman Katryna Warren fielded it, but her high throw pulled first baseman Skyla Lee off the bag and Cousatte crossed the plate with the winning run.
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