Triton Falls In Wild NSC Action
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
Knotted at 1-1 after seven innings, the teams went scoreless in the eighth, before each plated a run in the ninth, forcing yet another inning of play.
In the top of 10th, New Prairie (18-9, 13-1 NSC) appeared to have busted it open, as sophomore Bria Parmelee hit a two-run single and sophomore Toree Friedrich cleared the bases with a three-run double, putting the Lady Cougars on top 7-2.
However, an error in the bottom of the 10th gave the Lady Trojans (18-9, 9-5 NSC) life.
The error at shortstop occurred with two outs and just one runner on base.
Following the botched ground ball, Triton had girls at first and second, then freshman Brianna Nolin loaded the bases with a single, which was followed by a grand slam by junior Allyson Brown, cutting the lead to 7-6.
“That’s her second and it was nice to see,” Triton coach Steve McBride said of Brown’s dinger.
That blast over the right field fence was followed by another big shot by Brycelyn Garbison, a double that hit the left field fence.
But with the tying run in scoring position, New Prairie junior pitcher Brandee Pietrzak got a strikeout, her ninth of the game, ending the conference contest.
The loss was tough, but it was a far cry from the 10-0 beating the Lady Trojans took at New Prairie on April 29, when Pietrzak pitched a perfect game.
“I challenged the girls after that game,” McBride said. “I said, ‘Last year, we were all sophomores and freshmen, so I kind of had to nurture you. This year, there’s a little more accountability.’ From that game on, our kids have stepped up.”
Since that loss, Triton’s gone 10-4, which included a 9-0 win over Class 2A No. 4 North Miami and an 11-inning defeat at Class 2A No. 7 Bremen.
A big reason for Triton’s successful year has been the play of junior pitcher Mallorie Jennings.
During Monday night’s 16-0 win at Culver, Jennings recorded her 500th career strikeout, and she already owns the all-time strikeout record at Triton, surpassing Bethany Kern’s 350 earlier this year.
“Mallorie has more pitches,” McBride said when asked to compare the two hurlers. “She can move the ball around. Bethany was just kind of a thrower.”
In the NSC finale for both Triton and New Prairie, the pitchers were dueling.
While Pietrzak recorded nine strikeouts in her 10 innings, she allowed eight hits, but none of the six Triton runs were earned.
On the losing side, Jennings also went 10 innings, striking out 12 Lady Cougars and allowing just four hits.
“The two best pitchers in the conference pitched here tonight – without a doubt,” McBride said. “And what a show.”
The two may be the best in the NSC, but they go about their business in different ways.
Pietrzak is more inclined to overpower the opposing hitter, but with a smaller frame, Jennings has to choose her spots.
“Mallorie’s got good spin on the ball,” McBride said. “She moves it. She moves the ball around. We played Culver the other night and she was one strike away from a perfect game.”
Coupled with the performance of Jennings has been a scrappy Triton offense, which has stunned McBride with its success.
“I could have never predicted we’d be 19-8,” he said.
“This is just a group of girls that like to play softball,” he added. “They come out and they play with a purpose and they’re coachable. We just have good kids that like to play softball. That’s what we got. They just battle.”
Following today’s regular season finale at Bethany Christian, Triton will prepare for next week’s sectional, which will be played at South Central in Union Mills.
At the sectional, Triton received a first-round bye and will play Culver, a team it’s defeated 10-3 and 16-0, in the semifinal Tuesday.
“For us to be one of the favorites is a new experience,” McBride said. “I don't know if we’ll handle it well, but we’ll just play the games. We play Culver and got the bye, so it’s a favorable draw for us. But, you still have to beat people.”
NEW PRAIRIE 7, TRITON 6 (10 innings)
NP 000 010 001 5 – 7 4 3
T 001 000 001 4 – 6 8 3
Brandee Pietrzak (W, 10IP, 6R, 0ER, 8H, 9K, 1BB, 2HB, 1HR) and Ashton Woods; Mallorie Jennings (L, 10IP, 7R, 6ER, 4H, 12K, 4BB, 1HR) and Allyson Brown
2B – Toree Friedrich (NP), Brycelyn Garbison (T)
HR – Pietrzak (NP), Brown (T)
Records: NP 18-9 (13-1 NSC), Triton 19-8 (9-5 NSC)[[In-content Ad]]
Knotted at 1-1 after seven innings, the teams went scoreless in the eighth, before each plated a run in the ninth, forcing yet another inning of play.
In the top of 10th, New Prairie (18-9, 13-1 NSC) appeared to have busted it open, as sophomore Bria Parmelee hit a two-run single and sophomore Toree Friedrich cleared the bases with a three-run double, putting the Lady Cougars on top 7-2.
However, an error in the bottom of the 10th gave the Lady Trojans (18-9, 9-5 NSC) life.
The error at shortstop occurred with two outs and just one runner on base.
Following the botched ground ball, Triton had girls at first and second, then freshman Brianna Nolin loaded the bases with a single, which was followed by a grand slam by junior Allyson Brown, cutting the lead to 7-6.
“That’s her second and it was nice to see,” Triton coach Steve McBride said of Brown’s dinger.
That blast over the right field fence was followed by another big shot by Brycelyn Garbison, a double that hit the left field fence.
But with the tying run in scoring position, New Prairie junior pitcher Brandee Pietrzak got a strikeout, her ninth of the game, ending the conference contest.
The loss was tough, but it was a far cry from the 10-0 beating the Lady Trojans took at New Prairie on April 29, when Pietrzak pitched a perfect game.
“I challenged the girls after that game,” McBride said. “I said, ‘Last year, we were all sophomores and freshmen, so I kind of had to nurture you. This year, there’s a little more accountability.’ From that game on, our kids have stepped up.”
Since that loss, Triton’s gone 10-4, which included a 9-0 win over Class 2A No. 4 North Miami and an 11-inning defeat at Class 2A No. 7 Bremen.
A big reason for Triton’s successful year has been the play of junior pitcher Mallorie Jennings.
During Monday night’s 16-0 win at Culver, Jennings recorded her 500th career strikeout, and she already owns the all-time strikeout record at Triton, surpassing Bethany Kern’s 350 earlier this year.
“Mallorie has more pitches,” McBride said when asked to compare the two hurlers. “She can move the ball around. Bethany was just kind of a thrower.”
In the NSC finale for both Triton and New Prairie, the pitchers were dueling.
While Pietrzak recorded nine strikeouts in her 10 innings, she allowed eight hits, but none of the six Triton runs were earned.
On the losing side, Jennings also went 10 innings, striking out 12 Lady Cougars and allowing just four hits.
“The two best pitchers in the conference pitched here tonight – without a doubt,” McBride said. “And what a show.”
The two may be the best in the NSC, but they go about their business in different ways.
Pietrzak is more inclined to overpower the opposing hitter, but with a smaller frame, Jennings has to choose her spots.
“Mallorie’s got good spin on the ball,” McBride said. “She moves it. She moves the ball around. We played Culver the other night and she was one strike away from a perfect game.”
Coupled with the performance of Jennings has been a scrappy Triton offense, which has stunned McBride with its success.
“I could have never predicted we’d be 19-8,” he said.
“This is just a group of girls that like to play softball,” he added. “They come out and they play with a purpose and they’re coachable. We just have good kids that like to play softball. That’s what we got. They just battle.”
Following today’s regular season finale at Bethany Christian, Triton will prepare for next week’s sectional, which will be played at South Central in Union Mills.
At the sectional, Triton received a first-round bye and will play Culver, a team it’s defeated 10-3 and 16-0, in the semifinal Tuesday.
“For us to be one of the favorites is a new experience,” McBride said. “I don't know if we’ll handle it well, but we’ll just play the games. We play Culver and got the bye, so it’s a favorable draw for us. But, you still have to beat people.”
NEW PRAIRIE 7, TRITON 6 (10 innings)
NP 000 010 001 5 – 7 4 3
T 001 000 001 4 – 6 8 3
Brandee Pietrzak (W, 10IP, 6R, 0ER, 8H, 9K, 1BB, 2HB, 1HR) and Ashton Woods; Mallorie Jennings (L, 10IP, 7R, 6ER, 4H, 12K, 4BB, 1HR) and Allyson Brown
2B – Toree Friedrich (NP), Brycelyn Garbison (T)
HR – Pietrzak (NP), Brown (T)
Records: NP 18-9 (13-1 NSC), Triton 19-8 (9-5 NSC)[[In-content Ad]]
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