The North Central Missouri College Lady Pirates had a busy weekend, playing six games in three days. North Central traveled to Lamoni, IA on Friday for a doubleheader with the Graceland University junior varsity and was at home on Saturday and Sunday, hosting Crowder Community College on Saturday and St. Charles Community College on Sunday.
NCMC ran a record of 4-2 in the six games, sweeping Graceland and splitting with Crowder and St. Charles.
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Friday
The Lady Pirates picked up wins of 7-5 and 11-0 on Friday in Lamoni, IA, sweeping the Graceland JV. Stacy Hines was the winning pitcher in game one, striking out six. Kelsey Hight and Morgan Wood each went 2-for-4 at the plate and Wood had a home run and three RBIs.
In game two, the Lady Pirates scored a dominating 11-0 win behind a three-hitter by North Central pitcher Jessica Thompson. Thompson struck out three, pitching a shutout. Lindsay Sumner paced the Lady Pirate offense, collecting two hits, one a double, and three RBIs.
Saturday
The Lady Pirates split with Crowder the following day, taking game one 6-5 in nine innings, and falling in game two 8-0.
Stacy Hines went the full nine innings in game one, fanning eight.
“Stacy threw as well as I have seen her throw since she has been here and I have seen her throw some good games,” Lady Pirates Head Coach Max Mothersbaugh said.
At the plate, Hight had a double and two RBIs and Sumner had two hits, one a double, and an RBI.
The Lady Pirates couldn’t replicate game one in the late match-up, falling 8-0. Thompson was the losing pitcher, but led the Lady Pirates offense as the only North Central player to have a multi-hit game, finishing with two hits.
Sunday
The Lady Pirates garnered yet another split on Saturday, this time with St. Charles. NCMC dropped the opener 5-2 and won game two 9-7, via a walk-off home run from former Trenton Lady Bulldog Emily Anderson, her second such blast of the year.
The Lady Pirates hit the ball well in game one, but a stiff wind knocked down several potential home runs. The balls hit on the ground were right at the St. Charles defense and the Lady Pirates finished the contest with just one hit, that coming off the bat of Hight. Hines was the losing pitcher in game one.
Game two saw St. Charles jump out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as the Lady Pirates committed four errors. North Central bounced back to take a 5-3 lead, but more errors led to another St. Charles run. The visitors from Missouri’s eastern border would tie the game at 7-7 in the top of the seventh, erasing a 7-4 Lady Pirate lead. Anderson came to the plate in the bottom of the frame with one on and delivered the knockout blow for the Lady Pirates, ending the game with a home run.
“Our kids are resilient if nothing else,” Mothersbaugh said. “We were hitting the ball hard, but it was right at people, and we committed 10 errors. When you do all of that but still find a way to win the game, it really says a lot about your team.”
Hines picked up the win, coming on in relief in the top of the seventh. Anderson led the offense, finishing 4-for-4 with the home run, four RBIs and two runs scored. Hannah Hill had two hits, two runs scored, two steals, a double and an RBI. Wood was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Sumner was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Following the full slate of games, NCMC is now 14-7 on the season.
Today’s scheduled home doubleheader with Missouri Valley at Griffin Field has been pushed back to Saturday, April 9. That game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
The Lady Pirates’ next contest will be a doubleheader with Maple Woods Community College on Tuesday on the road in Kansas City.