NS Softball Goes 2-1, District Play Next
North Shelby’s Hannah Wahl is tagged out by Knox County third baseman Daniela Dooley during action Oct. 8 at North Shelby. The Lady Raiders won 7-2. Photograph by Troy Treasure
By Troy Treasure
Natalie Thrasher’s third-inning two-run double off the left field fence helped power North Shelby (12-3) to a 7-2 home win against Knox County (7-11) on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Thrasher hit 2 of 3 with three RBI.
North Shelby’s victory capped a week in which the Lady Raiders defeated Atlanta 4-3 Monday at home in nine innings on Marissa McEwen’s walk-off single.
“Against Atlanta, we were watching a lot or popping them up or hitting little-bitty grounders,” North Shelby head coach Haley Hardy said after the Knox County contest.
Lady Hornets’ pitcher Abbie Farmer had 14 strikeouts against NS.
Thrasher had seven strikeouts with no walks against Atlanta while yielding nine hits.
Tuesday, NS lost 6-5 at Scotland County, also in two extras.
“Tuesday night, we started hitting it harder and then tonight (versus Knox); there we go, hitting it harder and finding that gap,” Hardy added.
Whitney Snow had the circle versus Scotland. The freshman hurler scattered six hits with 13 strikeouts and eight walks.
Hardy indicated she was informed earlier Thursday the Lady Raiders were slated to play a previously unscheduled game at Fayette Oct. 13. It would be the team’s last regular-season tune-up prior to first-round Class 1 District 9 play at Knox County Oct. 15 … another tilt with Scotland County at 7 p.m.
NS previously defeated the Lady Tigers 5-2 Sept. 19 in the championship game of the North Shelby Tournament.
2019 Class 1 runner-up Canton is the top seed at Edina. NS is second; Scotland third. The winner will likely play Canton Saturday, Oct. 17 at 2 p.m.
Canton defeated Scotland County Thursday 5-1.
Against Knox, Thrasher pitched a six-hitter with three Ks and three walks and error-free defense behind her.
The Lady Eagles committed three errors.
Meg Shively’s sacrifice ground out plated Caroline Linberger in the second inning. Thrasher’s rip off Knox pitcher Kinsley Johnson made it 3-0.
Shively was 2 of 3 for NS with an RBI.
The Lady Raiders added solo runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Snow’s RBI single to right field was a key hit in the fourth.
In the sixth, NS scored twice aided by back-to-back Knox errors. Chesnie Robbins’ infield RBI blast ricocheted off Johnson’s ankle in the circle.
North Shelby finished the game with 10 hits.
Knox scored twice in the top of the seventh on Riley Strange’s two-run double to center. Jennifer Hinkle was 3 of 4, all singles, for the Lady Eagles.
