North Harrison collected 16 hits Thursday and overcame a 3-0 deficit, coming back to beat Worth County 6-4. Worth County was riding high after a 9-8 walkoff win over Stanberry, while North Harrison, after playing everybody tough for the first several games, held a 4-2 lead over King City going into the sixth Thursday, only to give up six in the sixth and six in the seventh to fall 14-4.
Coach Brandon Craig said that there wasn't too much running in Wednesday's practice; he said they spent most of the practice going over different situations with his young squad. When Thursday came around, they looked like a totally different team as they beat Worth County. "We hit well, defended well, and just played a good all-around game," said Craig.
The first inning threatened to be costly for the Shamrocks after they ran their way out of a big inning. With one out, Camden Castleberry singled, went to second on an error as Tiger left fielder Hailey Adwell let it get through her legs, and went to third on a bad hop single by Jayliegh Robins, who took second on a wild cutoff throw. The infield was wreaking havoc on both infields all afternoon, with numerous bad hops that turned routine outs into base hits. But Worth County got out of the first with no damage done when Ruby Heintz grounded out to first baseman Kara Staton, who gunned down Camden Castleberry at the plate, and she was out in a rundown.
Aivry Griffin reached on another bad hop single to start the Tiger first and stole second. Becca Smith got a bunt hit down the third base line as Griffin took third, and Griffin scored on a wild pitch as Smith took second. Worth County threatened to take over with their ability to get scratch hits as Hailey Adwell hit a pop fly that neither pitcher Erica Gerken nor catcher Jayliegh Robins could get to, and it dropped fair and died just before rolling foul. Adwell flew all the way to second for a double on the play, while Smith took third. Smith then scored on a wild pitch as Adwell took third, and Worth County got another scratch hit when Kynah Steele hit a slow roller into no man's land between the mound and the first base line as Adwell scored to make it 3-0.
Worth County threatened to do even more damage, as Ali Brown's pop fly threatened to drop into no man's land between the mound and short, but pitcher Erica Gerken backhanded it for the first out. All of a sudden, Gerken settled down and retired six Tigers in a row. Meanwhile, in the Shamrock third, Camden Castleberry singled with one out. Jayliegh Robins hit a shot off pitcher Ali Brown's foot and everybody was safe. Ruby Heintz forced Camden at third, but then Baily Briggs singled to right and Worth County airmailed the cutoff throw to put runners on second and third as Robins scored. Katelyn Briggs singled to center to score Heintz; Worth County had Baily Briggs trapped between third and home, but threw away the rundown to score her and put Katelyn on second to tie it at 3-3. Jaci Davis then doubled down the left field line to score Katelyn Briggs and Erica Gerken singled to score Davis to make it 5-3.
The Tigers tried to respond in their half of the third when Becca Smith beat out her second bunt hit, catching the Shamrocks off guard with a two strike bunt down the third base line that she beat out. Hailey Adwell grounded out to move her to second, and Kynah Steele hit a screamer that shortstop Ruby Heintz nearly made a great backhand catch on, but couldn't hold on as Steele got a scratch hit and Adwell held at second. Ali Brown flied out to advance them to second and third, but Autumn Cousatte struck out.
Jayliegh Robins beat out an infield hit to start the Shamrock fourth, but was promptly thrown out stealing. North Harrison got home a run anyway when Ruby Heintz tripled to right and Baily Briggs grounded out to score her and make it 6-3.
The rest of the game featured futile efforts by Worth County to get back in the game. In the Tiger fourth, Taylor Sanders singled down the right field line. But Kara Staton struck out and Lanie Cousatte and Aivry Griffin hit it hard, but right at people. Griffin ran down Trendi Johnson's hard hit ball in the Shamrock fifth to deny them. With two outs in the Tiger fifth, Kynah Steele hit a pop fly single that dropped untouched in left, but center fielder Camden Castleberry ran down another potential pop fly single from Ali Brown to end the inning.
Camden Castleberry doubled to left center and Jayliegh Robins grounded out to advance her to third to start the Shamrock sixth. But Ruby Heintz hit a grounder, Castleberry was caught in a rundown and was out, and Worth County kept the green shirts off the board. North Harrison returned the favor as Castleberry ran down Kara Staton's drive in center to keep the Tigers off the basepaths in the sixth. Katelyn Briggs and Jaci Davis hit it hard in the Shamrock seventh, but right at people for outs. Erica Gerken hit a hard shot off pitcher Ali Brown's glove for a scratch hit, but Amber Wilson struck out to keep it at 6-3.
Brylee Rush, who sparked the Tigers against Stanberry with a hit, did so again as she walked on a close 3-2 pitch to start the seventh. Aivry Griffin forced her at second, but then stole second and Becca Smith got her third bunt hit and moved Griffin over to third. The tying run was on base, and Smith attempted to steal second. But North Harrison elected to take the run for the out and catcher Jayliegh Robins gunned her down at second as Griffin stole home to make it 6-4. Hailey Adwell struck out to end the game.
In the Junior High game, Worth County took advantage of four Shamrock errors in the second inning and broke open a 4-2 game, winning 11-2. Keira Hardy had a double, a single, and a stolen base. Kristen Tracy, Kambree Briner, and Rylee Ruckman each had a single and a stolen base. Riley Ridge had two steals, including one of home after escaping a rundown. Rayleigh Smith, Addison Gray, and Katie Fletchall each added one steal.
For North Harrison, Andi Nail had a double, while Jaxcynn Hansel and Cheyenne Baker had singles. Harmony Post and Annabelle Owens had stolen bases.
The Worth County JV won 5-1. Lanie Cousatte, ZeeAnna Gladstone, and Brylee Rush had doubles, while Liz Brown, Brooklyn Richardson, and Kara Staton had singles. Brooklyn Richardson tossed a no-hitter for the Tigers.
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