The North Central Missouri College Lady Pirates had no trouble hitting the ball out of Griffin Field on Tuesday during their doubleheader with St. Charles Community College.
Winning games was a different story.
North Central had a pair of long balls in both games of the doubleheader, but still wound up 0-2 on the day, losing game one 9-5 and game two 14-3.
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In game one, the teams traded two-run innings in the first and remained deadlocked until St. Charles answered with a four-run fourth inning. A leadoff home run by Emily Anderson in the fifth frame set the tone for a three-run outburst by the Lady Pirates that cut the St. Charles advantage to a single run. That would be all NCMC got, however, as the visitors pulled away in the late innings, winning by four runs.
Jessica Thompsen took the loss in the circle, throwing three plus innings. St. Charles recorded seven runs on eight hits and a walk in that time and Bailey Wingard came on in relief to finish the game. Thompsen had two strikeouts in the game.
At the plate, Wingard had a home run, a double and three RBIs to go with Anderson’s home run and RBI.
In game two North Central tallied just three hits, two of which were home runs. Kelsey Hight and Caitlyn McFee each drove the ball out of the yard and Thompsen had the Lady Pirates’ other hit, a single.
Paige Edwards was the losing pitcher, allowing nine runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out three. Wingard again relieved the starting pitcher and threw the end of the game.
The two losses wrapped up regular-season play for the Lady Pirates, now 13-32.
North Central now moves into the Region 16 Tournament which begins on Friday. North Central will take on Crowder Community College on the road in the first round.