y Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
Winning in walk-off fashion can be one of the funnest experiences in sports, but being on the losing end of such a game provides one of the sourest feelings. Such dour emotions accompanied the Madisonville-North Hopkins softball team's loss to Webster County Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Maroons led 4-3 entering the bottom of the seventh, but Webster's Ashley Smith knocked in a run on an RBI single and then scored on a three-base error for a 5-4 Lady Trojan victory.
With one out and a runner on third, Smith laced a ball to centerfielder Kaci Rainwater. The ball dropped in front of Rainwater, who lunged forward, and the ball darted under her glove and all the way to the fence. Smith never slowed her stride around the bases and scored the winning run.
"Sometimes they get lucky," coach Kacie Jackson said of the game's ending. "We tell them to keep your heads up, keep doing what we're doing.
"We try to encourage them as much as possible while still focusing on areas we can improve."
Making the loss even harder to take was the fact North (7-14) ended a 3-3 tie in the top of the seventh to take the lead against Webster (7-8).
Brooke Burden started the inning with an infield base hit and scored on a pinch-hit double by Kyleigh Taylor, who has been out with a knee injury.
The Lady Maroons led 4-3 entering the bottom of the seventh, but Webster's Ashley Smith knocked in a run on an RBI single and then scored on a three-base error for a 5-4 Lady Trojan victory.
With one out and a runner on third, Smith laced a ball to centerfielder Kaci Rainwater. The ball dropped in front of Rainwater, who lunged forward, and the ball darted under her glove and all the way to the fence. Smith never slowed her stride around the bases and scored the winning run.
"Sometimes they get lucky," coach Kacie Jackson said of the game's ending. "We tell them to keep your heads up, keep doing what we're doing.
"We try to encourage them as much as possible while still focusing on areas we can improve."
Making the loss even harder to take was the fact North (7-14) ended a 3-3 tie in the top of the seventh to take the lead against Webster (7-8).
Brooke Burden started the inning with an infield base hit and scored on a pinch-hit double by Kyleigh Taylor, who has been out with a knee injury.
"We talked about if (Taylor) was going to come in, it was going to be on a one-time, pinch-hit basis if the situation called for it," Jackson said.
Jackson's decision paid off and North took a one-run lead into the final frame.
On the mound, Kelly Herrenbruck tossed her third straight complete game and struck out five.
Offensively, Burden notched North's only multi-hit game going 2-for-4.
Hannah Cates and Chelsea Britt each recorded triples. Caitlin Todd had one hit and one RBI. Karah Gill hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning for the Lady Maroons' first run.
For Webster, Smith tossed a complete game for the win. Smith tallied 12 strikeouts. Smith also had a 3-for-4 day at the plate. Kassie Mitchell went 2-for-3 with one RBI. The Lady Trojans' top three hitters recorded all of their team's hits on the game.
The loss dropped North to the No. 4 seed to begin tournament play forcing a rematch of the invitational's opening pool play contest against Livingston Central, a game North won 2-0.
The Lady Maroons began the game on a promising note with a leadoff triple from Cates, who later scored in the first inning on an error. Livingston scored seven runs in the first two innings, however, to go ahead 7-1. North struggled offensively from that point and did not push any more runs across.
The Lady Cardinals scored the game's final run in the fourth.
Gill and Audra Lee finished the contest 2-for-3 for North. Rainwater also added a hit.
The loss dropped North from the one-and-out portion of the tournament.
After defeating Livingston Friday night, North then lost to Lyon County 6-3.
Lyon (4-6) jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings, but the Lady Maroons scored two in the third and one in the fourth to pull within two runs. Lyon added a single run in the fifth for the final score.
Pitcher Heather Webb tossed a complete game in a losing effort.
At the plate, Burden and Britt each hit a triple. Cates, Todd and Rainwater also provided hits in the contest.
North 100 000 0 - 1
Livingston 430 100 X - 8
LP: Heather Webb
North 011 010 1 - 4 6 2
Webster 012 000 2 - 5 7 2
WP: Ashley Smith
LP: Kelly Herrenbruck
Friday
North 002 100 0 - 3
Lyon 140 010 X - 6
LP: Heather Webb
Jackson's decision paid off and North took a one-run lead into the final frame.
On the mound, Kelly Herrenbruck tossed her third straight complete game and struck out five.
Offensively, Burden notched North's only multi-hit game going 2-for-4.
Hannah Cates and Chelsea Britt each recorded triples. Caitlin Todd had one hit and one RBI. Karah Gill hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning for the Lady Maroons' first run.
For Webster, Smith tossed a complete game for the win. Smith tallied 12 strikeouts. Smith also had a 3-for-4 day at the plate. Kassie Mitchell went 2-for-3 with one RBI. The Lady Trojans' top three hitters recorded all of their team's hits on the game.
The loss dropped North to the No. 4 seed to begin tournament play forcing a rematch of the invitational's opening pool play contest against Livingston Central, a game North won 2-0.
The Lady Maroons began the game on a promising note with a leadoff triple from Cates, who later scored in the first inning on an error. Livingston scored seven runs in the first two innings, however, to go ahead 7-1. North struggled offensively from that point and did not push any more runs across.
The Lady Cardinals scored the game's final run in the fourth.
Gill and Audra Lee finished the contest 2-for-3 for North. Rainwater also added a hit.
The loss dropped North from the one-and-out portion of the tournament.
After defeating Livingston Friday night, North then lost to Lyon County 6-3.
Lyon (4-6) jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings, but the Lady Maroons scored two in the third and one in the fourth to pull within two runs. Lyon added a single run in the fifth for the final score.
Pitcher Heather Webb tossed a complete game in a losing effort.
At the plate, Burden and Britt each hit a triple. Cates, Todd and Rainwater also provided hits in the contest.
North 100 000 0 - 1
Livingston 430 100 X - 8
LP: Heather Webb
North 011 010 1 - 4 6 2
Webster 012 000 2 - 5 7 2
WP: Ashley Smith
LP: Kelly Herrenbruck
Friday
North 002 100 0 - 3
Lyon 140 010 X - 6
LP: Heather Webb
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