First baseman Kayka Wilson pulled off back to back double plays for the Shamrocks in the first and second innings, and the Shamrocks responded with big innings in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to run rule Stanberry for the second time in a week 13-3. Ruby Heintz had a big night at the plate; coming up with runners on base, she went four for four with seven runs batted in to fuel the Shamrocks on the other side. Pitcher Erica Gerken bent but didn't break in the humidity, finding her second wind to strike out six Stanberry batters and fending off their attempt to come back in the fifth.
The Shamrocks were coming off a close 3-1 loss to Platte Valley, one of the top teams in the area. The danger was that a "moral victory" can sometimes snowball into a big losing streak. Meanwhile, Stanberry's bats had come alive since the last time they played North Harrison despite back to back losses against Albany of 17-10 and 10-9.
It looked like a good game at first. Trendi Johnson walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Jayliegh Robins reached on a dropped fly ball, moving Trendi to third, and stole second. Katelyn Briggs struck out, and then Stanberry fired themselves up with a 1-3-2 double play when they cut down Robins at the plate after getting the out at first to limit the damage to 1 run.
But North Harrison returned the compliment after Katlyn James beat out a slow roller down the third base line. Katie Angle hit a screamer down the right field line, but Kayka Wilson speared it and stepped on the bag for a double play. The best hitter on the team, Amelia Wallace, hit a tricky fly ball to right, but Katelyn Briggs got a basket catch to end the inning. Kayka pulled it off again in the Stanberry second after Kiley Mattson walked to lead off. She took second on a wild pitch. Maranda Evans crushed another ball down the right field line, only for Kayka to snare it again and double Mattson off second.
That sparked the Shamrocks for the rest of the way, and Erica Gerken led off the Shamrock third with a walk. Hailey Claycomb (running for Gerken) stole second and went to third on a throwing error. Trendi Johnson was hit by a pitch and stole second. Ruby Heintz then tripled off the right field wall to score both. Katelyn Briggs grounded out to score her. Kira Robertson restarted the inning with a bad hop single past short and went to second on a wild pitch. Andi Nail shot a single to center to score Robertson to make it 5-0.
That chased starting pitcher Katlyn James, who was on a short leash for that game, but reliever Eva Cameron walked the bottom of the Shamrock order in Natalie Parkhurst and Erica Gerken to start the fourth. Trendi Johnson singled down the third base line to load the bases and Ruby Heintz singled to left. A good throw would have gotten Hailey Claycomb (running for Gerken), but the throw was dropped and Heintz took second as two runs scored. Katelyn Briggs walked and Kira Robertson hit a shot off the shortstop's glove to score two and took second on the throw home. Kayka Wilson grounded to third, and the third baseman, not realizing there was two outs, threw home in an attempt to retire Halle Morgan (running for Briggs). Morgan had an epic collision with Amelia Wallace, temporarily knocking her out of the game, and she was safe to make it 10-2.
Kayka Wilson made another outstanding defensive play at first in the Stanberry fourth when she made a shoestring catch of Katie Angle's pop fly. It was a good thing as Wallace refused to stay out and came back to crush a single that got away from Morgan in right as she took third. Two more Shamrock errors led to two more runs as Stanberry cut their deficit to 10-2.
But North Harrison's bats were still strong and Erica Gerken hit a hart shot off shortstop for a base hit to start the fifth. Trendi Johnson forced Hailey Claycomb (running for Gerken) at second, but Jayliegh Robins doubled to left center off the wall. Johnson held up to make sure the ball wasn't caught, but made it to third on a close play. Ruby Heintz drove them both in with a single and went to second on the unsuccessful throw home. Halle Morgan grounded out to advance Heintz to third and Kira Robertson reached on an error to score Heintz to make it 13-2.
The humidity was getting worse and Gerken walked Dani Vandraska to start the Stanberry fifth. Morgan Showers flied out to Halle Morgan in right, but the heart of the Stanberry lineup was back up again. Kaitlyn James hit a hard shot off Kayka Wilson's glove for another scratch hit, Katie Angle reached on an error to score Vandraska, and Wallace walked to load the bases with one out. But then Gerken found her second wind and recovered to get back to back strikeouts on Kiley Mattson and Lindsey Hailey to end the game.
The junior varsity lost 6-5. Jaci Davis had a double, while Carmon Fordyce and Natalie Parkhurst each had singles.
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