North Platte – Inconsistency has been the word of the season for the NPCC Knights softball team. The weather has thrown their schedule out of wack and as such, has lead to very few opportunities for the team to get any sort of rhythm.
As such the team has had few opportunities to grow as the season progresses.
“Its hard for any team, I mean when you expect to play six to eight games a week but are forced to play only two, maybe four due to weather. Its hard for a team to grow and to learn in a game environment” according to head coach Janelle Higgins.
That inconsistent play was on display against Northeastern Junior College last night.
The Knights came into the game ready to beat a team that they had late leads on last time they played in March.
The Plainswomen would have other ideas. The very first batter of the day for the Plainswomen, Maddy Rule would take an 0-1 pitch an take it to straightaway center field for a solo home run. Two quick outs would follow and it looked like the Knights pitcher Ashlynn Krueger had settled down. A bloop single would set up another home run in the first by Makaila Chadwick. The Knights would end the first down 3-0.
In the bottom of the inning, the Knights would get two base runners with two outs but would fail to bring anyone in.
Both teams traded efficient half innings in the 2nd and the score would remain 3-0.
The Plainswomen would add another run in the 3rd on a Sac Fly by Gracie Cordova to lead 4-0. Meanwhile, Makaila Chadwick the starting pitcher for the Plainswomen was keeping the Knights at bay.
A four-run 4th inning by the Plainswomen would seal the fate of the Knights in the opening game of the doubleheader. They would go on to take the 10-0 loss in 5 innings. Mikaila Chadwick the pitcher for the Plainswomen went on to only allow two hits, 1 walk and 5 strikeouts in the win.
Game two would go very different for both teams. After a few big changes in the lineup for head coach Janelle Higgins, the Knights came out and responded in a big way.
The Plainswomen would once again strike first by manufacturing a run in the opening inning. Emily Marsden would keep them to just the one run.
In the bottom of the first, the Knights would find some of the offense they were missing. With two runners on and two outs, Kaylee Bohnsack would hit a deep double to right center field which would give the Knights the first lead of the day 2-1.
Both pitchers would keep the other team scoreless in the 2nd.
In the third, it looked like the Plainswomen would once again open up the game on offense. They would score a pair of runs before loading the bases. Emily Marsden would walk in a run with two outs before getting Danielle Gonzales to ground out and the Knights would head into the bottom of the third down 4-2.
The Knights would once again struggle to get any runners on and with two outs in the bottom of the third Emily Marsden would come up to bat. Not wanting the Pitcher Erin Hersey to get any rhythm against her, Marsden would swing at the first pitch and take the ball deep into right field for a solo home run that would cut the NJC lead 4-3.
The fourth inning would see another home run by the Plainswomen, a two-run shot by Maddy Rule. The Knights would respond with a pair of singles by Sienna Pfaff and Maddie Liddell followed by a double by Mikayla Gibson to score both. Gibson would be tagged out trying to stretch that double into a single.
After 4 innings of play, the Knights were only down one run 6-5.
Marsden would keep the momentum on the Knights side with a 6 pitch 5th inning that included a slick double play in which Marsden caught a hard line drive and doubled off a runner at first.
Knights would add a run in the bottom of the fifth to tie things at 6-6.
In the sixth, it looked like the Knights were going to give the game away late. Maddy Rule would draw a one-out walk, would move to second base on a passed ball. On the very next pitch, Maddie Liddell would overthrow Willow Chiddy on an attempt to tag out Rule at second. The ball would skip into center field allowing Rule to score from second base. Marsden would shut down the rest of the Plainswomen in the inning to keep it close, 7-6.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Knights would show the never say die attitude that coach Higgins has referred to all season. With two outs and a runner on second Willow Chitty would come up to bat. Chitty coming into the doubleheader was batting .574 good enough for third in the nation. She would put that hot bat on display lacing a double to right center and tying the game at seven all. Hallei Morales would then come up to bat.
Morales would take the first pitch for a ball. The next pitch she would hit a soft popup that bounced out of the glove of shortstop Maddy Rule. Willow Chitty was moving on contact and would beat the throw to the plate and the Knights would have their first lead since the 2nd inning, 8-7.
Emily Marsden would shut the door in the top of the 7th and the Knights would earn the split.
The Knights have just 6 games (3 double headers) left on the season before they travel to Beatrice on May 4th to play Southeast in the first round of Region IX play.
