By Daniel Stinman - Area Director of Marketing and Public Information
North Platte Community College will play a best of three series this weekend with No. 7 Kirkwood (IA) at the Dowhower Softball Complex beginning on Saturday, May 15 for the North Plains A District Championship. The Knights and Eagles will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. If a third game is needed, it will be played on Sunday at 1 p.m.
About North Platte: Knights enter the North Plains A District Championship with an overall record of 15-27, having punched their ticket to the championship with a victory over Central Community College in the Region IX Championship.
As a team, North Platte ranks first in the nation in sacrifice hits, with 45 on the year. Knights rank thirty-second in the NJCAA DII in hits, totaling 405 through 42 games this season. North Platte sports a .326 batting average this season, which ranks fifty-seventh amongst NJCAA DII teams.
North Platte is led by All-Region IX catcher, Jayden Horner who sports a .996 fielding percentage. At the plate, Horner sports a .325 batting average and has tallied 40 RBI in her 123 plate appearances this season. Jordan Young, a versatile outfielder, was also named to the All-Region IX team. Young currently has a .344 batting average, with 42 hits and 24 RBI.
Morganne Brown, the Knights starting second baseman, was named as an All-Region IX Tournament team selection. Brown currently ranks fourth in the nation in sacrifice hits (10) and currently has a .345 on base percentage this season.
All-Region IX Tournament selection Madisyn Hamar leads the Knights at the plate, compiling a .444 batting average in her 108 plate appearances this season. Zoey Bredleau-Beehler ranks second on the team in batting average, compiling a .433 average to accompany her 11 doubles, five home runs, and 35 RBI this season.
In the circle, the Knights are led by All-Region IX pitcher Nevaeh Ramirez who has compiled a 3.17 earned run average this season in 132.1 innings of action. Ramirez has struck out 129 batters and posts a 11-9 record on the year.
About Kirkwood: The Eagles enter the North Plains A District Championship with an overall record of 50-10. Kirkwood opened the season winning nine of their first eleven games. During that stretch, the Eagles outscored their opponents 107-57.
The Eagles earned their ticket to the championship by defeating Ellsworth Community College in the Region XI-B Tournament Championship, 3-0.
Eagles rank first in the country in home runs (117), second in extra base hits (249), third in runs (544) and eleventh in the nation with a .660 slugging percentage.
Kirkwood is led by sophomore infielder Sydney Albaugh, who has a .415 batting average to accompany her 78 hits, 22 home runs, 16 doubles and 70 RBI this season. Albaugh also leads the Eagles with a .971 fielding percentage. Randyn Carter is second on the team with a .410 batting average and has accounted for 41 runs on 48 hits, ten doubles, one triple, and 11 home runs.
In the circle, the Eagles are led by Kori Wedeking who has compiled at 27-3 record on the year. Wedeking has pitched 24 complete games, struck out 200 batters, and has only allowed 43 earned runs throughout the course of this season.
Coaches:
Janelle Higgins (11th season at North Platte Community College)
Eric Frese (3rd season at Kirkwood Community College)