But the Shamrocks used the big inning to get ahead as Lani Briggs worked a 3-2 walk to start the first after the Hawks had gone down in order in the first. Walks lead to runs and sure enough, Ruby Heintz singled, and Kayka Wilson singled to bring home two runs home. Jaci Davis got picked off third and was out in a rundown, but even that didn't break North Harrison's momentum as Erica Gerken singled Wilson to third, stole second, and both came home on a throwing error as the pitcher threw the ball away, Gerken was safe on a close play at the plate, and Claycomb made it all the way to third. Natalie Parkhurst grounded out to score Claycomb to make it 5-0.
The momentum swung back to Gilman City after the Shamrock second, in which the Hawks turned a perfect 4-6-3 double play. Reese Sperry reached on an error, stole second, and Riah Crump singled her home to make it 5-1 and went to second on the throw home and third on a wild pitch.
Gilman City looked all set for a big inning, one of many they have had this year, as the heart of their order was coming up. But Erica Gerken looked back Crump perfectly at third and threw to first to get Alli Burke out. Ava Langfitt, who has always hit the Shamrocks well, came up, but she struck out, and Laina Ward, who had gotten a hit in the second, grounded out to end the inning.
Jaci Davis reached on an error to start the Shamrock third when the second baseman's throw pulled the first baseman off the bag. Kayka Wilson advanced her to second and Erica Gerken singled to right, putting Davis on third, and stealing second. Hailey Claycomb singled home Davis as Gerken took third and then stole second. Gilman City should have gotten out of the inning as Natalie Parkhurst popped out to Ava Langfitt behind the plate, but Carmon Fordyce reached on an error to keep the inning alive as Gerken scored and Claycomb took third. Fordyce stole second and Kira Robertson singled to score Claycomb and put Fordyce on third. Robertson stole second and Lani Briggs singled to score two and make it 10-1.
With two outs in the fourth, Erica Gerken, who narrowly missed a home run against Stanberry, caught hold of one and it flew over the left field fence. A scene straight out of 2020 came, when Worth County's Aivry Griffin was on cloud nine after hitting her first ever home run over the fence off Carly Rinehart and even the Shamrock players were happy for her. Something similar happened Monday night, as even the Gilman City players were happy for Gerken.
Gerken got the first two outs of the fifth, but Riah Crump was not ready to go home, crushing a sinking line drive headed for right. Second baseman Carmon Fordyce made a diving try for it but missed. But Kelsey Sperry popped out to Andi Nail at first to end the game.
Gilman City Junior High 13, Shamrocks 2
Gilman City won the nightcap 13-2 in a game that was moved to the big field; the little field was wet from rains the night before. Despite the outcome in the varsity game, they are a team on the rise, starting with Tenley Griffith, who crushed a triple that nearly left the yard along with a double and a single. She crushed some long balls against NEN last year in Ridgeway to the 240 foot fence as a 7th grader. Crump will return for the Hawks; with Griffith, they will form a potent hitting combo. And the Hawks will have two pitchers to choose from in Griffith and Lily Turner. In addition, they have the kind of numbers that the Shamrocks had during the peak years of the Brandon Craig era; they have 16 players out for varsity and 13 out for junior high.
For North Harrison, Ava Rinehart and Addison Milligan had triples. Kaydence Lambert added a single.
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