Story by Daniel Stinman - Mid-Plains Community College Marketing and Public Information
North Platte, Neb. – The North Platte Community College softball team opened the Region IX Tournament against Southeast Community College on Saturday afternoon. The Knights took the opening game of the doubleheader, before falling to the Storm in game two.
In the opening game, the Storm marched out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. North Platte responded in the bottom of the third inning, as a single by Jordan Young gave the Knights a baserunner with no outs. Ashlyn Wheeling stepped up to the plate and hit into a fielder's choice, as Young advanced into scoring position with just one down.
Madisyn Hamar stepped into the box, laid down a bunt in front of catcher and sped down the first base line to beat the throw, to give the Knights two baserunners. An error by the Southeast shortstop, plated Young from third, as Hamar seized an opportunity and slid safely into third base. On a 1-0 count, the ball skipped by the catcher, and Hamar advanced the final sixty feet to tie the game, 2-2.
In the fourth, Zoey Bredleau-Beehler hit the opening pitch to straight away center to give the Knights a leadoff double. Morganne Brown advanced Bredleau-Beehler to third base on a sacrifice bunt. Singer stepped into the box and grounded into a fielder's choice on her first pitch of her at bat, which allowed Bredleau-Beehler to advance home to give the Knights their first lead of the doubleheader, 3-2.
North Platte stretched their lead to three in the bottom of the fifth inning, as the bats began to come alive. A leadoff single by Hamar, gave the Knights a baserunner with no one down in the inning. Southeast quickly went back to work on defense, getting the next two batters to pop up.
On the opening pitch of her at bat, Essence McRae double to left center field and brought Hamar around from first base. McRae did not have to wait long on second, as an error by the Southeast shortstop allowed McRae to score from second, stretching the Knights lead to 5-2.
The Storm cut into the deficit in the top of the sixth, but Kirsten Greenwalt responded in the bottom half of the frame, with a double down the left field line to plate Hamar from second. The Knights held strong over the final inning to take the opening game, 6-4.
Nevaeh Ramirez added five strong innings for the Knights, allowing only one earned run on four hits and three strikeouts. Kyleigh Sullivan came on in relief and allowed only one earned run on two hits and two strikeouts.
The tide changed in game two, as the Storm offense tallied eight runs in the opening three innings. North Platte responded in the bottom of the fourth as McRae lined one into left center field for a double. Bredleau-Beehler plated McRae from second on a double of her own to cut the deficit to seven, 8-1.
The Knights were not done in the fourth, as a hard-hit ball by Brown gave Bredleau-Beehler the green light around third and cut the deficit back to six, 8-2. As the game reached its final innings, the Knights were only able to bring one more baserunner around to score, as Southeast took the second game, 10-3.
Young started in the circle for the Knights in game two, allowing five runs on five hits. Sullivan once again came on in relief, allowing three runs on seven hits and five strikeouts.
North Platte will look to punch their ticket to the Region IX Championship against Central Community College, with a victory over Southeast Community College in a decisive game three tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Dowhower Softball Complex.