Monday, September 17, 2018

NEN Junior High Falls 12-5 to Panthers

Northeast Nodaway’s junior high fell 12-5 to Pattonsburg Monday in the opener of a double header. The Panther squad, featuring a three-way cooperative with Pattonsburg, North Daviess, and Gilman City, jumped out to a 12-0 lead in two and a half innings of lopsided softball. The Gilman City contingent, in particular, has shown a lot of promise and will elevate the expansion Hawk franchise when they come up to varsity next year.

Northeast struggled through two and a half innings against the three-headed monster, committing five errors, walking nine batters, and uncorking ten wild pitches. But all of a sudden, they pulled off a successful rundown play to end the third inning, tagging out a Panther running who tried an ill-fated dash to the plate after a wild pitch, which seemed to flip on a light switch.

While they were mathematically eliminated from the game (there was a five run rule along with a one hour time limit), a totally different Bluejay team came up to the plate in the bottom of the third after not getting a single hit in the first two innings. Pitcher Erica Burke plunked Jill Boswell and Kenlyn Grove, and they took second and third on a wild pitch. Ruby Wilmes shot a single down the right field line to score two, and Anne Briney hit a slow roller between third and short that nobody had a play on as everyone was safe.

Meredith Adwell grounded out to second, but successfully advanced Wilmes and Briney to second and third. Rachelle Rodriguez shot a single in to left to score one and put runners on first and third, finishing Burke. Mekenzie Turner came on in relief for Pattonsburg, but walked Lily Burns on four pitches. Emily Moran struck out, but Morgan Cook beat out a slow roller to short to score one and Boswell walked to force in the fifth run.

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