Kristen Tracy Fans 7; Junior High Tigers Clinch Winning Season

Kristen Tracy fanned seven Northeast Nodaway batters Monday and the Worth County junior high Tigers clinched yet another winning season as they beat Northeast Nodaway 4-0. Worth County made several solid plays in the field behind her, and they broke open the game in the third inning to secure the win. The win clinched them a winning season, as they were 6-3 with two games to spare, against Maysville and Mid-Buchanan.

With one out in the Bluejay first, Brianna Meyer walked and Blair Nelson hit a slow roller down the third base line and beat it out. But then Kristen Tracy reached back and struck out Emma Vicker and Bristol Hicks to get out of the inning. Worth County manufactured a run in its half of the first when Audrey Runde walked, stole second, and took third on a wild pitch. Keira Hardy grounded out to get her home to make it 1-0.

The Bluejays made a bid to get back in it in the second, but Evah Eckley's line drive was speared by Kambree Briner at second. The Bluejays got runners on first and second with two outs, but Piper Gray went around on Tracy's high heat for the third out.

Kambree Briner hit a screamer between first and second that looked headed for extra bases, but Bluejay first baseman Blair Nelson speared it on the backhand to rob her of a hit. Megan Tracy walked and stole second and walks frequently lead to runs, but this time, Summer Riley's single to right was not enough as Piper Gray threw a strike to Blair Nelson, who threw a perfect relay to Hailey Yost at home plate to nail Tracy at the plate. Evalyn Gilland walked, but Bluejay pitcher Avah Eckley struck out Braelyn Fletchall looking to get out of the inning.

Northeast threatened to tie in their half of the third when Ashlynn Kennard hit a pop fly that landed behind third and Worth County had no play on it. Severia Hall forced her at second, but Adie Thummel walked. But Kristen Tracy reached back and made good pitches when she needed to, getting Rylee Scadden out on a nasty drop ball and striking out Brianna Meyer as well.

Worth County got three walks to start the inning, and sure enough, as usual, the walks led to runs as Audrey Runde scored on a wild pitch, Addison Gray scored on Kristen Tracy's groundout, and Kambree Briner's shot off second baseman Emma Vicker's glove dropped in for a base hit. Vicker reached on a hit by pitch in the Bluejay fourth, but Tiger catcher Audrey Runde gunned her down at second to end the threat.