North Harrison, going through its annual Hell Week, downed Milan 12-5 behind Ashlynn Gilpatrick’s 10 strikeouts and Mason Cracraft’s home run. They sent off their seniors, Mason Cracraft, Addie Slaughter, and Sally Briggs with a win as they pounded the ball early and often.
North Harrison was playing shorthanded without Carly Rinehart (shoulder), but got strong pitching from Ashlynn Gilpatrick, who gave up two home runs to Cadence Pauley, but shut down the rest of the Ladycat lineup for the complete game win.
Milan started off with a base hit as Jannissa Martinez shot a single to right center with two strikes on her. But left fielder Deva Wallace caught Katie Banner’s fly ball, Mason Cracraft made a running catch running backwards of Pauley’s pop fly, and shortstop Kami Gibson snagged Erin Richardson’s grounder for the third out.
Rainey Fordyce set the tone for the rest of the game when she shot a rocket past third down the left field line and successfully stretched a single into a double. That led to an avalanche of hits and aggressive baserunning, as North Harrison scored in every inning but the fifth. Coach Brandon Craig was worried about pitcher Cadence Pauley’s arm, but his charges, even without Rinehart, were up to the challenge of hitting off her. North Harrison was tentative at first, looking at six called strikes in the first inning, but only looked at four more the rest of the game as they constantly sought to put the ball in play.
Ashlynn Gilpatrick was next, and her towering fly ball was misjudged by the center fielder and dropped in for a double as Fordyce scored. The wind was howling out to center and wreaking havoc with fly balls all afternoon. Camden Castleberry, running for Gilpatrick, took third on a wild pitch and scored when Emma Craig reached on a three base error by the shortstop when her throw got away from everyone. Lola Brashears, running for Craig, scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
The Shamrocks added to their lead in the second when Deva Wallace hit another fly ball misjudged in the wind by the center fielder; it dropped in for a double. She took third on a wild pitch, and Addie Slaughter grounded out to score Wallace to make it 4-0.
As Ashlynn Gilpatrick retired nine straight Milan batters, Emma Craig successfully stretched a double into a triple after hitting one over the center fielder’s head to start the third. Kami Gibson swung at a pitch in the dirt for what should have been strike three, but the ball got away from the catcher and Gibson was safe at first as Lola Brashears (running for Craig) scored on the play. Gibson stole second and went to third on an error as the second baseman let the throw get away. Sally Briggs doubled to right center field to bring her home, went to third on a wild pitch, and Mason Cracraft homered to dead center field to make it 8-0.
Hunter Stevens struck out, but Deva Wallace walked on four pitches to restart the inning. She took second on a wild pitch. Addie Slaughter reached on a bobble by the second baseman to move Wallace to third, and Rainey Fordyce reached on a dropped throw from the first baseman to score Wallace to make it 9-0 and prompt the fiery Milan coach to yell at his players after the inning was over.
Milan finally got on the board as Katie Banner doubled and Cadence Pauley hit a towering fly ball.
Center fielder Rainey Fordyce got a bead on it, but crashed into the fence and fell over as Pauley’s two run shot made it 9-2. Eric Richardson grounded out to Kami Gibson and catcher Emma Craig alertly caught a squib from Lexi May that started off foul but rolled into fair territory down the third base line and threw a laser beam to first to get her out. That loomed up strongly as Jordyn Gray walked and Jocelyn Perez reached on an error when Gilpatrick and third baseman Addie Slaughter collided going after a pop fly. But Gilpatrick recovered to get Hallie Wiseman called out on strikes to end the inning.
North Harrison used a two out rally to make it 10-2 in the fourth. Mason Cracraft singled to left field and took second when the left fielder let the ball get by her for an error. Hunter Stevens doubled to the wall in left center and was out trying to stretch it into a triple, but Cracraft scored on the play. Milan bunched together three straight singles from Katie Banner, Cadence Pauley, and Erin Richardson to make it 10-3 in the fifth.
With the game well in hand, Coach Brandon Craig began subbing freely in the sixth, putting Kenna Slaughter at third, Baily Briggs in center, Lola Brashears in right, Sally Briggs behind the play from third, and Addie Slaughter at first. Gilpatrick continued to pitch strongly, striking out Jordyn Gray and Brianna Hail, while Kami Gibson continued to be rock-solid at shortstop.
The Shamrocks got two more in the sixth as Kenna Slaughter successfully stretched a single into a double after singling to left center. Kami Gibson singled to left and made it to second when the left fielder let it get by as Slaughter scored. Gibson took third on a wild pitch, and Sally Briggs singled to center to score her.
Pauley struck again in the seventh for Milan, but strong fielding play kept things from getting interesting. Jackmin Pierre pinch hit and went after the first pitch, hitting a pop fly in the dead spot between the mound and second. But shortstop Kami Gibson made a catch on the first base side of second. Jannissa Martinez, the fastest runner on the team for Milan, was next and hit a ground ball to Gibson and was racing down the line. Gibson hurried her throw and it was wide, but Addie Slaughter reached out and snagged it for the second out. That meant that only two runs scored when Katie Banner singled and Pauley hit a deep drive to left. This time, it was left fielder Camden Castleberry who looked like she might have a play, only to see the ball drift over the fence as she fell over it trying to make a play. Gilpatrick froze Erin Richardson for a called third strike to end the game.
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