Hadley DeFreece Strikes Out Career High 13; Bluejays Win 2nd

Northeast Nodaway’s girls won their second game Monday, holding off Stewartsville/Osborn 4-1 as they made an early lead stand up. Last year, Northeast won handily against the Wildcards in both meetings. But the Wildcards improved in all phases of the game, including pitching, hitting, and defense. With a freshman pitcher in Ella Schwope who travels and who didn’t act like a freshman on the mound Monday, and 27 people listed on their roster, the orange shirts are looking to replicate what the Bluejays did last year. They also have a fast base stealer in Addie Jackson and a steady hitter in Alissa Francis, who had two hits for the Wildcards.

It looked like an easy win for the Bluejays at first. With two outs, Jill Boswell shot a ground rule double past the left field fence and Jaden Atkins singled to score her. The throw went home and the catcher threw to second to try to nab Atkins, only for it to get away into center field, allowing Atkins to circle the bases to make it 2-0. 

In the Wildcard second, Chloe Ramsey tried to bunt Libby Rush over to second after Rush had singled. But Baylie Busby made a diving grab in foul territory to quash the threat.

Northeast added two more in the second. Lindsey Jackson walked and Baylie Busby singled. The cutoff throw got away, putting runners on second and third. Hadley DeFreece singled and went to second on the throw home to make it 4-0. Jill Boswell beat out an infield hit and Jadin Atkins walked to load the bases. But Merrideth Adwell grounded into a 1-2-3 double play to kill the rally, and all of a sudden, the Wildcards realized they could play ball with the Bluejays and that they were a much better team than a year ago.

DeFreece struck out the side in the third, but Jill Boswell made the lone Bluejay error in the fourth, bouncing a throw in the dirt as she tried to retire the speedy Addie Jackson. Jackson stole second and then came home on Alissa Francis’ single to make it 4-1.

Northeast ran its way out of a big inning in the fifth as Baylie Busby tried to steal second after leading off with a walk, but was doubled off by Hadley DeFreece’s fly ball to right. But DeFreece picked up her team in the later innings despite the heat; she retired 12 out of the last 13 Stewartsville/Osborn batters, including striking out the last four. Jaden Atkins helped her out by saving Boswell an error when she picked up her throw in the dirt in the sixth just ahead of Jordyn Haskell. Third baseman Lindsey Jackson caught a pop fly in the field.