North County secures first district softball title

By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer

POTOSI '” Senior pitcher Jennifer Hackworth delivered a memorable performance on Friday afternoon in what was arguably the biggest game of North County's eight-year softball history.

Four third-inning runs provided more than enough offensive support for Hackworth, who recorded a season-best 15 strikeouts in a 4-0 triumph over De Soto, as the Lady Raiders claimed their first district championship.

Catcher Jamie Bullock finished a perfect 2-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt, and infielder Erica Inman added a clutch two-run double for the Lady Raiders, who maximized six total hits against De Soto starter Abby Roland.

Hackworth consistently worked ahead in the count, forcing the Lady Dragons (13-10) to chase several pitches out of the strike zone, and posted perfect fifth and seventh innings on three consecutive strikeouts.

Her five-hitter was the second shutout in two days for the Lady Raiders at the Class 3, District 1 Tournament after teammate Katie Gibson fired a three-hitter in a semifinal victory over Doniphan.

North County (20-3) will travel to unbeaten Cape Notre Dame for a state sectional battle on Wednesday. The Lady Bulldogs feature ace hurler Lauren Reinagel, who notched the sixth no-hitter of her remarkable season against the Lady Raiders earlier this week.

Freshman Kelsey Hall sparked the decisive rally with a solid single to left field. Brittani O'Connell followed with a sacrifice bunt that was thrown wildly past first base, allowing both runners to reach scoring position.

Inman put North County in front by blooping an outside pitch inside the right-field line, then scored to make it 3-0 on a RBI single from Hackworth. Bullock highlighted her day with a RBI double into the left-center gap that scored courtesy-runner C.C. Carron from first base.

Roland, who collected eight strikeouts in defeat, kept the Lady Dragons in the action by pitching around an O'Connell double in the fourth, and two De Soto errors that began the fifth.

Caitlin Polley smashed a line drive off Hackworth's glove during the De Soto sixth, and a subsequent errant throw moved runners to second and third with one out, but Hackworth escaped the jam with an infield pop fly.

De Soto also wasted an infield hit by Beth Winckel to open the game, and stranded two more runners in the fourth following singles from Dee Dee Peters and Sam Summers. Peters finished 2-for-3 overall at the plate.

De Soto  000 000 0 - 0  5  3

North County  004 000 x - 4  6  1

WP - Hackworth 7i 0r 5h 15k 1bb.

LP - Roland 6i 4r 3er 6h 8k 2bb.

Hitting:

De Soto - Peters 2-3, Winckel 1-3, Polley 1-3, Summers 1-3.

North County - Bullock 2-2, Inman 1-2, O'Connell 1-3, Hackworth 1-3, Hall 1-3. 2b - O'Connell, Inman, Bullock.