A revamped North Nodaway lineup beat Worth County 8-4 Wednesday in the first round of action at the North Andrew Tournament. First baseman Ashley Thompson, a force at the plate and a nemesis for Worth County’s softball teams over the last two years, was out of action (collarbone). North Nodaway’s revamped lineup included Alonna Cross at third, Kristin Herndon at first, and Jadon Dobbins in left. Cross and Herndon had never played first and third respectively before. But it didn’t matter as North Nodaway jumped on Worth County early and often and held off a fourth inning rally for the win.
Braidy Hunt reached on a dropped third strike and went to second on Makayla Cross’ error as she threw it away trying to retire the speedy Tiger sophomore. Worth County tested Herndon in the first inning inning, but she caught Kennedy Galanakis’ screamer for an out, and Keagan O’Riley struck out Megan Cassavaugh and Haley Hunt to get out of the inning.
Shai Dailey reached on shortstop Jill Hardy’s bobble to start the first, and then back to back scratch hits loaded the bases. Keagan O’Riley reached when Dailey beat out a force play at second and Makayla Cross beat out a slow roller down the third base line. Emma Hart singled to left field and went to second as Cross took third as Dailey scored and O’Riley was safe as North Nodaway took a 2-0 lead. Hart scored when pitcher Haley Hunt misplayed Audrey Trimble’s slow roller to make it 3-0.
Worth County could not get anything going in the second as second baseman Shai Dailey laid out to snag Merrideth Spiers’ line drive that looked headed for a base hit.
Kandace Damgar came back from 0-2 down to walk to start the North Nodaway second. It paid off when Shai Dailey doubled off the wall in center in the deepest part of the ballpark to bring her in. Keagan O’Riley grounded out to move her to third, and then Makayla Cross hit a grounder to third. Merrideth Spiers went home to try to retire Dailey, but she was safe and North Nodaway was up 5-0 after two.
Worth County got a run back in the third when third baseman Alonna Cross, new to the position, misplayed a couple of grounders. It would have been worse, except Allison Larison hit a pop fly that looked like it would drop in. It looked like a fruitless chase for shortstop Kandace Damgar and second baseman Shai Dailey when center fielder Audrey Trimble came racing in to make a running catch for an out.
North Nodaway should have gone quietly in the third, but first baseman Kennedy Galanakis’ dropped throw opened the floodgates when Kandace Damgar reached safely. Shai Dailey got her third hit, a single to center field and took second as Damgar successfully scored from second. Keagan O’Riley hit a grounder into the hole at short; she would have beaten it, but shortstop Jill Hardy’s throw to first was wild, and she took second as Dailey scored. Makayla Cross reached on another error, putting runners on first and third, and Emma Hart’s fly ball to left brought in Keagan O’Riley to make it 8-1.
Worth County made a bid for a comeback in the fourth. Anna Spainhower came off the bench and shot a single over second baseman Shai Dailey’s head, turning on Keagan O’Riley’s first pitch. Anna Gladstone laid down a bunt and Keagan O’Riley bobbled it trying to get the Tiger track star out as everyone was safe. Merrideth Spiers walked and Spainhower scored on a wild pitch. Allison Larison was called out on strikes, but Abbi Caddenhead hit a screamer to right field. Jadon Dobbins tried for a shoestring catch, but missed as the ball went all the way to the wall for a two run triple to make it 8-4.
But the Tigers could not get any closer in the fifth as North Nodaway first baseman Kristin Herndon twice made running catches of pop flies between first and home.
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