Gibson powers Lady Raiders into district final
By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer
Daily Journal Sports Writer
POTOSI — The North County softball team now stands one victory away from its first district championship and 20-win season in program history.
Senior pitcher Katie Gibson recorded 13 strikeouts in a three-hit shutout, and provided her own offensive support with a two-run homer on Thursday, as the Lady Raiders defeated Doniphan 3-0 in a Class 3, District 1 semifinal.
Jenna Dennison finished 2-for-3 with a double and Erica Inman scored two runs for top-seeded North County (19-3), which advanced to meet De Soto for the championship today at 4:30 p.m. in Potosi.
Gibson highlighted a 3-for-3 effort at the plate in the opening frame by slamming the first pitch against Doniphan starter Mary Beth Cosgrove over the center-field fence for a 2-0 lead.
Gibson struck out the side in the third and seventh innings, and allowed just one walk. Two of her three hits allowed were to junior lead-off batter Kailee Ware, who reached base in three straight at-bats for Doniphan.
Ware was caught stealing by catcher Jamie Bullock following a bunt single to start the contest. A diving catch at second base by Inman caused Ware to remain stranded at third after a sixth-inning double.
Inman ripped a double of her own into the left-field corner with two outs during the North County fifth, and tallied an insurance run when Gibson grounded a RBI single past third base.
Cassey Hart also doubled for the Donettes (13-7), who entered the contest riding an eight-game winning streak. Cosgrove yielded six hits and picked up one strikeout in defeat.
Each team committed two errors and Doniphan turned the lone double play.
Doniphan 000 000 0 - 0 3 2
North County 200 010 x - 3 6 2
WP - Gibson 7i 0r 3h 13k 1bb.
LP - Cosgrove 6i 3r 6h 1k 2bb.
Hitting:
Doniphan - Ware 2-3, Hart 1-3. 2b - Ware, Hart.
North County - Gibson 3-3, Dennison 2-3, Inman 1-2. 2b - Dennison, Inman. HR - Gibson.
De Soto 9, Potosi 2
POTOSI — Two innocent singles that traveled a combined approximate distance of 30 feet sparked a decisive scoring outburst for De Soto in the second semifinal played on Thursday night.
The second-seeded Lady Dragons rallied for five runs with an effective combination of bunts and line drives during the fifth inning, and eliminated host Potosi 9-2 behind a five-hitter from pitcher Abby Roland.
Beth Winckel and Roland each finished 3-for-4 at the top of the De Soto batting order, and freshman outfielder Hailey Brown slugged two doubles for the defending district champions.
Potosi starter Ali Rhodes responded with two timely strikeouts to preserve a 2-1 lead after De Soto loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth. However, Winckel opened the fifth by hustling out a slap-single, and scored on a second wild pitch after Roland bunted for a hit.
Caitlin Polley put the Lady Dragons ahead with a two-run single up the middle, then crossed the plate for a 5-2 margin when Brown belted double off the center-field fence. Chelsey King singled home Brown following a sacrifice bunt by Sam Summers.
Dee Dee Peters punctuated a three-run sixth frame for De Soto with a RBI triple, and Polley collected her third RBI with a sacrifice fly.
A defensive miscue helped Potosi (14-10) grab an immediate lead. Ashley Duncan singled and scored from first base when neither middle infielder from De Soto covered the throw to second on a potential fielder’s choice.
Duncan tallied her second run in the fourth on a RBI single from senior Jessica Cain after advancing on a Rhodes single. De Soto (13-9) had drawn even at 1-1 on a ground out by Brown during the home half of the first.
Takeisha Cluck and Bethany McCoy each singled in the Potosi seventh, snapping a string of 11 consecutive retired batters. Roland allowed no earned runs and fanned three for the win.
Rhodes struck out five and surrendered 11 hits in defeat for the Lady Trojans, who completed their first winning season in program history.
Potosi 100 100 0 - 2 5 2
De Soto 100 053 x - 9 11 2
WP - Roland 7i 2r 0er 5h 3k 0bb.
LP - Rhodes 7i 9r 11h 5k 3bb.
Hitting:
Potosi - Duncan 1-3, Rhodes 1-3, Cain 1-3, Cluck 1-3, McCoy 1-3.
De Soto - Winckel 3-4, Roland 3-4, Brown 2-3, Peters 1-2, Polley 1-3, King 1-3. 2b - Brown 2. 3b - Peters.
Senior pitcher Katie Gibson recorded 13 strikeouts in a three-hit shutout, and provided her own offensive support with a two-run homer on Thursday, as the Lady Raiders defeated Doniphan 3-0 in a Class 3, District 1 semifinal.
Jenna Dennison finished 2-for-3 with a double and Erica Inman scored two runs for top-seeded North County (19-3), which advanced to meet De Soto for the championship today at 4:30 p.m. in Potosi.
Gibson highlighted a 3-for-3 effort at the plate in the opening frame by slamming the first pitch against Doniphan starter Mary Beth Cosgrove over the center-field fence for a 2-0 lead.
Gibson struck out the side in the third and seventh innings, and allowed just one walk. Two of her three hits allowed were to junior lead-off batter Kailee Ware, who reached base in three straight at-bats for Doniphan.
Ware was caught stealing by catcher Jamie Bullock following a bunt single to start the contest. A diving catch at second base by Inman caused Ware to remain stranded at third after a sixth-inning double.
Inman ripped a double of her own into the left-field corner with two outs during the North County fifth, and tallied an insurance run when Gibson grounded a RBI single past third base.
Cassey Hart also doubled for the Donettes (13-7), who entered the contest riding an eight-game winning streak. Cosgrove yielded six hits and picked up one strikeout in defeat.
Each team committed two errors and Doniphan turned the lone double play.
Doniphan 000 000 0 - 0 3 2
North County 200 010 x - 3 6 2
WP - Gibson 7i 0r 3h 13k 1bb.
LP - Cosgrove 6i 3r 6h 1k 2bb.
Hitting:
Doniphan - Ware 2-3, Hart 1-3. 2b - Ware, Hart.
North County - Gibson 3-3, Dennison 2-3, Inman 1-2. 2b - Dennison, Inman. HR - Gibson.
De Soto 9, Potosi 2
POTOSI — Two innocent singles that traveled a combined approximate distance of 30 feet sparked a decisive scoring outburst for De Soto in the second semifinal played on Thursday night.
The second-seeded Lady Dragons rallied for five runs with an effective combination of bunts and line drives during the fifth inning, and eliminated host Potosi 9-2 behind a five-hitter from pitcher Abby Roland.
Beth Winckel and Roland each finished 3-for-4 at the top of the De Soto batting order, and freshman outfielder Hailey Brown slugged two doubles for the defending district champions.
Potosi starter Ali Rhodes responded with two timely strikeouts to preserve a 2-1 lead after De Soto loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth. However, Winckel opened the fifth by hustling out a slap-single, and scored on a second wild pitch after Roland bunted for a hit.
Caitlin Polley put the Lady Dragons ahead with a two-run single up the middle, then crossed the plate for a 5-2 margin when Brown belted double off the center-field fence. Chelsey King singled home Brown following a sacrifice bunt by Sam Summers.
Dee Dee Peters punctuated a three-run sixth frame for De Soto with a RBI triple, and Polley collected her third RBI with a sacrifice fly.
A defensive miscue helped Potosi (14-10) grab an immediate lead. Ashley Duncan singled and scored from first base when neither middle infielder from De Soto covered the throw to second on a potential fielder’s choice.
Duncan tallied her second run in the fourth on a RBI single from senior Jessica Cain after advancing on a Rhodes single. De Soto (13-9) had drawn even at 1-1 on a ground out by Brown during the home half of the first.
Takeisha Cluck and Bethany McCoy each singled in the Potosi seventh, snapping a string of 11 consecutive retired batters. Roland allowed no earned runs and fanned three for the win.
Rhodes struck out five and surrendered 11 hits in defeat for the Lady Trojans, who completed their first winning season in program history.
Potosi 100 100 0 - 2 5 2
De Soto 100 053 x - 9 11 2
WP - Roland 7i 2r 0er 5h 3k 0bb.
LP - Rhodes 7i 9r 11h 5k 3bb.
Hitting:
Potosi - Duncan 1-3, Rhodes 1-3, Cain 1-3, Cluck 1-3, McCoy 1-3.
De Soto - Winckel 3-4, Roland 3-4, Brown 2-3, Peters 1-2, Polley 1-3, King 1-3. 2b - Brown 2. 3b - Peters.
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