Addie Thummel Gets Two Innings of Shutdown Relief as JH Bluejays Win

After a rocky start to the season against a loaded Platte Valley team, the junior high Bluejays have settled in and started to win some games. They took their third Thursday 5-2 against Stewartsville/Osborn as they survived a rough first inning and rallied to win. Paizlee Norman provided a valuable assist behind the plate, throwing a Wildcard runner out at third.

A combination of four walks and three wild pitches let in two Wildcard runs in the first. But then Rylee Scadden caught hold of a high pitch and somehow muscled it into right field for a base hit and stole second. Maddison Faustlin grounded out to move her to third, Paizley Norman walked, and Avah Eckley singled to left to score Scadden and put runners on first and second and cut it to 2-1. After a long battle, Bristol Hicks singled to load the bases. Kiley Yost grounded into a force at home to retire Norman, but Piper Gray wore one for the team to make it tied at 2-2 as Eckley scored. Sadie Hall singled to score Hicks, and then Yost came home on a wild pitch to make it 4-2.

Addie Thummel came on to pitch in the second and walked Maci Cook to start the inning. Two Bluejay errors loaded the bases with nobody out, but the next batter popped out to short. That defensive play gave Thummel the confidence she needed to keep throwing strikes, and she struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning. With one out in the third, Laine Owens singled and went to second on an error, but then tried to steal third and Paizlee Norman cut her down to keep the Wildcards off the board.

With one out in the Bluejay third, Avah Eckley got her second hit, a single to right. Bristol Hicks grounded out to advance her to second, and Eckley took third on a wild pitch. Kiley Yost walked and stole second, and then Piper Gray beat out an infield hit to score Eckley to make it 5-2.