Lady Hornets win game with North Platte
After spotting the North Platte Lady Panthers 3 runs in the first inning, the Lady Hornets came back with 3 runs of their own in the 3rd and the game winner in the 6th for the 4-3 KCI victory on senior night.
McKenna Fulton led off the game for North Platte with a bunt single. Kyra Patch reached on an infield error before Kadilynn Kelley flied out. Jordyn Smith walked to load the bases for Gracie Roach who doubled to left center driving in two. Graycen Prothero struck out McKenzie Sams for the second out. Jordyn Goetz drove in courtesy runner Jasmine Wright with a single, but Roach was tagged out at the plate by Ali Trosper to end the inning. Hamilton went three up and three down in the home half of the first.
In the top of the 2nd, Prothero struck out Miranda Daniel, Janell Manville flied out to Mati Park in center, Fulton singled to center, but Patch flied out to short to end the inning. After the first batter struck out and the second hitter grounded out to the pitcher, Trosper hit a double to left field. Chloe Hibler came in to run for Trosper ahead of the final out being recorded on a fly ball to center.
The Lady Panthers started the third inning with a single to center by Alley Rickel. McKauley threw out the next batter on a ground ball to short, and Jaide Herrera fielded a ground ball at third base threw to Gillian Gibler at first base for the second out. Sams walked to put runners on first and third with two out. Park saved at least one run with a diving catch in short center field for the 3rd out. Herra led off the bottom of the 3rd with a bunt single which was followed by a single to left by Atison Allsup. McKauley reached on an infield error loading the bases for pinch hitter Lexi Potts who flied to center, driving in Herrera. McKauley stole second base. Gibler drove in the second run of the inning with a ground out to short. Prothero walked and Murphy Park came in to run for her. Murphy quickly stole second base. The third run of the inning was scored by McKauley from 3rd base when the ball got by the catcher on a wild pitch. The next batter struck out to end the inning with the score now tied at 3.
The first hitter in the top of the 4th flied out to second, but Manville singled to left. Prothero made a good play on a hard hit ground ball to her right for the second out. Allsup knocked down a hard hit ground ball to her left before recording the third out on her throw to first. Trosper led off the Penney in the 4th with a single and was replaced on the base by Chloe Hibler. Lone senior Sarah Hartley successfully layed down a sacrifice bunt moving Hibler to second, but the next batter grounded out to second and the last batter in the inning flied out to short.
It was three up and three down for North Platte in the top of the 5th with two ground ball outs to second and the 3rd out to short. It was also three up and three down for Hamilton in the bottom of the inning with 2 strike outs and a fly ball to third.
The top of the 6th saw two very good plays by center fielder Mati Park. The first out was recorded when Mati ran down a fly ball in left center, and the second out was an even greater play on a diving catch of a ball hit in short right center. The final out was a fly ball to third. Prothero led off the bottom of the 6th with a double to right center. Murphy Park came in to run for Prothero. Cheyenne Farrow reached first on a bunt single, and Murphy scored on the throwing error. Trosper singled to right center and Hibler came in to run for Trosper. Hibler stole second, but both runners were stranded as the next batter grounded out to third and the next two hitters flied out to second and the pitcher respectively.
With North Platte trailing 4-3 in the top of the 7th, the first hitter grounded out to third. Fulton walked to put the tying run on base. Patch reached on an infield error allowing the potential go ahead run to reach first. McKauley recorded the second out unassisted on a force play at second. First baseman Gibler saved the tying run from scoring when she blocked a low throw from second in an attempt for a game ending double play. The final out of the game came on a ground ball to Prothero, the winning pitcher.
Both North Platte and Coach Jim Dickey’s Lady Hornets ended the KCI season with identical 3-4 conference records. The Lady Hornets are loaded with eight freshman, including Graycen, Allsup, Lindsey Adkison, Hibler, Potts, Trosper (who blocked a number of pitches in the dirt), Gibler, and Herrera. The future looks very bright for Coach Dickey, Assistant Coach Justin Joiner, and Hamilton softball in years to come.
