By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer

Published: Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Updated: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 10:01 AM CDT

BONNE TERRE — The North County softball team clinched its first regular-season conference title in school history on Tuesday, but not without a late-inning scare against a much-improved rival.

Brittani O’Connell finished 2-for-3 plus a walk from the lead-off spot, and winning pitcher Katie Gibson slugged a pair of doubles as the Lady Raiders held off visiting Potosi for a 4-3 victory.

North County (14-2) secured the top seed and a first-round bye for the upcoming league tournament, which begins on Monday in Ste. Genevieve. The MAAA softball conference formed in 2003.

Four extra-base hits and five sacrifice bunts helped the Lady Raiders manufacture the first four runs of the contest unanswered. Gibson doubled home O’Connell in the opening frame for an early lead.

Potosi (10-7) placed two runners in scoring position after Tiffany Evans singled to right-center with no outs during the second, but Gibson escaped the threat with two key strikeouts and a fielder’s choice at home.

Lady Trojans starter Ali Rhodes worked through a bases-loaded jam of her own in the bottom of the second, but allowed back-to-back doubles to Gibson and Jennifer Hackworth to begin the third.

A RBI single from outfielder Jenna Dennison scored Hackworth for a 3-0 margin. Freshman Kelsey Hall tripled to begin the fourth, and tallied the decisive run of the game on a RBI single by O’Connell.

Jinnger Rogers limited the North County offense from there with three scoreless innings of relief, and Rhodes sparked the Lady Trojans at the plate with two timely hits.

Evans put Potosi on the scoreboard with a ground out in the sixth after Rhodes advanced from first to third on a Jessica Cain single. Two unearned runs would further close the gap in the seventh.

Takeisha Cluck smashed a lead-off single back through the middle, and the third North County error allowed pinch-hitter Megan Osbahr to reach safely, adding momentum to the rally.

Dennison hustled from center to recover a misplayed fly ball in left field, and her quick throw to third base resulted in a pivotal force out, but Rhodes delivered a two-run double into the left-field corner with two outs.

Potosi left the potential tying run at second, however, when a solid drive by Cain was caught in right field. Gibson finished the complete-game effort with seven strikeouts and one walk allowed.

North County will travel to Central for its conference finale on Thursday. Potosi, nearing its first winning season in program history, will face Fredericktown on Thursday for second place in the MAAA standings.

Potosi  000 001 2 - 3  5  3

North County  102 100 x - 4  7  3

WP - Gibson 7i 3r 1er 5h 7k 1bb 1hb.

LP - Rhodes 3i 4r 6h 1k 2bb.

Hitting:

Potosi - Rhodes 2-4, Evans 1-2, Cluck 1-3, Cain 1-4. 2b - Rhodes.

North County - O’Connell 2-3, Gibson 2-4, Dennison 1-2, Hall 1-3, Hackworth 1-4. 2b - Gibson 2, Hackworth. 3b - Hall.