Erica Gerken struck out ten Albany batters Tuesday, September 21st, and North Harrison won its fifth game in their last seven tries, beating Albany 13-2. Albany has come close to several good teams, losing 11-7 to North Andrew, 10-9 to Pattonsburg, and taking King City to extra innings before losing 11-10. After a bad start, North Harrison's bats have come alive during their run. After not scoring 10 or more runs at all during their first seven games, they have scored ten or more runs four times during their recent stretch. Gerken matched her career high with her effort against the Warriors. Tuesday's effort was the first time this year that North Harrison has run ruled an opponent.
Gerken set the tone right off the bat when she struck out Albany's best hitter, Haley Sterkis, to start off the game. She walked two batters, but struck out Ashley Sterkis with two outs to get out of the inning.
Albany sought to break in Addisyn Crawford against the Shamrocks. Worth County's junior varsity had teed off against her the week before, but she added a changeup to go with her fast delivery, and went for the first strike fastball every single time. She was frequently ahead in the count, and four of her strikeouts of Shamrock batters were off her change. But North Harrison got enough quality at bats that they were able to overcome the two strike counts that were frequently against them.
Trendi Johnson singled to right to start the Shamrock first. Camden Castleberry struck out, but Jayliegh Robins beat out an infield hit and she and Johnson took second and third when Albany threw away a force play. Ruby Heintz singled in Johnson, stole second, and then Katelyn Briggs singled to left to score Robins to make it 2-0.
After Gerken fanned three batters in the second, Johnson fought back from an 0-2 count with one out and singled to center. She took second after a wild pitch and then Camden Castleberry hit a pop fly along the first base line that dropped in no man's land for a scratch hit as Johnson took third. Jayliegh Robins fought back from a 2-2 count to walk, and Ruby Heintz shot a single past third to score Johnson and Castleberry as Carmon Fordyce (running for Robins) took second to make it 4-0. Katelyn Briggs reached on an error that rolled between the first baseman's legs to score Fordyce and put Heintz on third to make it 5-0. Briggs stole second. Baily Briggs struck out, but Jaci Davis singled to right to score both Heintz and Katelyn Briggs to make it 7-0. Erica Gerken reached on a third strike that got away from the catcher to keep the inning going, and Kayka Wilson singled to right to bring home Davis.
Gerken walked the bases loaded in the third and Ashley Sterkis reached on a scratch hit with one out to score one, but Gerken settled down, struck out Addisyn Crawford and Phoenix Coil to get out of the inning with only one run scoring. After that, she settled down and didn't walk another batter the rest of the game.
North Harrison got the run back in their half of the third when Camden Castleberry was hit by a pitch, took second on a wild pitch, and then Ruby Heintz singled to left to bring her home to make it 9-1.
Jaidan Batson reached on a bad hop single to start the Albany fourth. Claire Manring popped out, but Haley Sterkis came up next with a chance to put a dent in the Shamrock lead. But Sterkis grounded into a force. Cory Worrell singled and Montana Moffat hit a tricky chopper in front of the plate, but Erica Gerken alertly fielded it and threw to first for the third out.
The Shamrock batters were finally starting to pick up on the change and Jaci Davis turned on one and singled to right. Erica Gerken's pop fly single dropped in just in front of the right fielder. Kayka Wilson grounded out to advance them. Trendi Johnson popped out, but Camden Castleberry reached on an error to score one and make it 10-1.
Albany got one in the fifth when Abigain Troncin singled, went to second and third on a couple of grounders, and scored on a wild pitch to cut it to 10-2.
Amber Wilson drew a walk with one out in the Shamrock fifth, and Jaci Davis crushed one all the way to the wall in right as Wilson scored from first to make it 11-2.
Albany tried to rally in their half of the sixth when Claire Manring singled to right with one out. Haley Sterkis popped to right, and it was dropped by Katelyn Briggs, but she alertly threw to second to force Manring out at second. Worrall grounded out to Jaci Davis at third for the final out.
Trendi Johnson reached on a dropped throw, and that opened the floodgates as the Shamrock batters started turning on the first pitch strikes and crushing them. Camden Castleberry singled down the left field line, and Jayliegh Robins brought then both home by crushing an opposite field triple to the left field wall into the wind to end the game.
The Junior Varsity rallied in the bottom of the fourth to force a 5-5 tie when three different runners. Ruby Heintz, Paige Lane, and Kayka Wilson scored on wild pitches to erase a deficit. Heintz stole a base, Kira Robertson stretched a single into a double, Hailey Claycomb singled and later scored on a wild pitch, and Halle Morgan made two catches in the outfield. Camden Castleberry turned a double play after catching a pop fly and struck out three batters. Trendi Johnson struck out two.
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