West Noble Rallies To Beat Wawasee Softball Team
March 29, 2018 at 2:35 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
The Lady Warriors’ skipper had plenty of reasons to feel that way.
In a game originally scheduled to be played in Ligonier but moved to Syracuse because of field conditions at West Noble, the Lady Warriors were plagued by errors and mental mistakes as they gave up a 5-2 lead and lost 7-6.
Wawasee, playing as the visiting team, scored three runs in the fifth inning to take the three-run lead but gave up four runs in the bottom of the frame.
The Lady Warriors tied the game in the sixth inning on a sacrifice by freshman Danielle Jenkins that scored classmate Kiaundra Olson.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning, West Noble pulled out the victory when junior Kourtnie Jones hit an offering from Wawasee junior Bethany Flannery. What looked like a routine ground ball and force out at second base, however, didn’t go as planned for the Lady Warriors, who dropped the throw to second that would have ended the game, instead allowing West Noble’s Jaden Hanna to score the game-winning run.
The Lady Warriors, a young team whose varsity roster includes seven freshman and two sophomores, committed three errors in the field, but also had trouble being in position to make plays.
“I’m not gonna beat around the bush, it’s every player out there making mistakes,” said Barger, who coached at West Noble for two seasons prior to taking the Wawasee job in 2017.
“I just asked them, ‘What team do you wanna be? Do you wanna be a team that’s just gonna throw the ball around and make mental mistakes because we’re not softball smart yet? Or do you wanna get past this game and start grinding now? Who are you going to be?’
“You can’t put the pressure on with a big inning, and then all of a sudden let them back in it. We can’t continue to play games that way.”
The Lady Warriors, who rallied for wins over Westview (4-3 on Friday) and Lakeland (3-1 on Monday), fell to 2-1 on the season. West Noble improved to 1-1.
Wawasee pounded out five hits, with junior Graceanne Kerlin leading the way with a single and a double.
Senior Aubrey Kuhn hit a double for the Lady Warriors, while freshmen Amanda Jenkins and Olson each hit a single.
“Going back to the game at Lakeland, I’m just not happy offensively,” said Barger. “I don’t know if we’re too aggressive and we’re swinging at pitches we don’t need to be swinging at, I’m not sure yet. I’m trying to figure this team out.
“The big inning ... yeah, I did start to think ‘maybe this is where we’re gonna turn it around, and offensively this is what I’m looking for.’ Graceanne absolutely hit the ball today, put it out in right-center twice and did exactly what we’re looking for, but we missed some signs today and we just weren’t good.”
The Chargers, who committed two errors defensively, pounded out seven hits in the win. Senior Kasia Wiegold and freshman Kacee Click hit two singles each, while junior Becky Yoder and freshman Lily Nelson hit one single each. Jones had West Noble’s only extra-base hit, a triple to start the bottom of the sixth inning.
Click got the complete-game win in the circle. She struck out seven and walked three.
Flannery was charged with the loss after giving up three hits and one run in 2/3 of an inning. She struck out one and didn’t issue a walk.
Freshman Olivia Stuck pitched the first six innings for Wawasee and gave up six hits and four runs. She struck out six and walked two.
The Lady Warriors are scheduled to host Elkhart Central today, their last game before spring break.
“Thursday is a big day, a real big day, to be honest,” said Barger. “Can we go into spring break clicking, or are we gonna start to fold it again? I don’t wanna leave it like this. We’ll pray that it doesn’t rain and we get the game in. They’re still unsure of themselves, and I don’t wanna leave for break after this game.”
Wawasee won the JV game 20-6.
Ava Rush pitched five innings for the win, while Autumn Conners had two hits and Ciandra Ervin hit a 2-run single.
WEST NOBLE 7, WAWASEE 6
WW 100 131 0 – 6 5 3
WN 020 040 1 – 7 7 2
Wawasee – Olivia Stuck (6IP, 4H, 6R, 2BB, 6K), Bethany Flannery (L, 2/3IP, 3H, 1R, 0BB, 1K); West Noble – Kacee Click (W, 7IP, 5H, 6R, 3BB, 7K)
2B – Kuhn (WW), Kerlin (WW)
3B – Nelson (WN)
Records: Wawasee 2-1, West Noble 1-1
JV – Wawasee 20, West Noble 6
WP – Ava Rush
Wawasee leaders – Autumn Conners 2 hits; Ciandra Ervin 2-run 1B
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The Lady Warriors’ skipper had plenty of reasons to feel that way.
In a game originally scheduled to be played in Ligonier but moved to Syracuse because of field conditions at West Noble, the Lady Warriors were plagued by errors and mental mistakes as they gave up a 5-2 lead and lost 7-6.
Wawasee, playing as the visiting team, scored three runs in the fifth inning to take the three-run lead but gave up four runs in the bottom of the frame.
The Lady Warriors tied the game in the sixth inning on a sacrifice by freshman Danielle Jenkins that scored classmate Kiaundra Olson.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning, West Noble pulled out the victory when junior Kourtnie Jones hit an offering from Wawasee junior Bethany Flannery. What looked like a routine ground ball and force out at second base, however, didn’t go as planned for the Lady Warriors, who dropped the throw to second that would have ended the game, instead allowing West Noble’s Jaden Hanna to score the game-winning run.
The Lady Warriors, a young team whose varsity roster includes seven freshman and two sophomores, committed three errors in the field, but also had trouble being in position to make plays.
“I’m not gonna beat around the bush, it’s every player out there making mistakes,” said Barger, who coached at West Noble for two seasons prior to taking the Wawasee job in 2017.
“I just asked them, ‘What team do you wanna be? Do you wanna be a team that’s just gonna throw the ball around and make mental mistakes because we’re not softball smart yet? Or do you wanna get past this game and start grinding now? Who are you going to be?’
“You can’t put the pressure on with a big inning, and then all of a sudden let them back in it. We can’t continue to play games that way.”
The Lady Warriors, who rallied for wins over Westview (4-3 on Friday) and Lakeland (3-1 on Monday), fell to 2-1 on the season. West Noble improved to 1-1.
Wawasee pounded out five hits, with junior Graceanne Kerlin leading the way with a single and a double.
Senior Aubrey Kuhn hit a double for the Lady Warriors, while freshmen Amanda Jenkins and Olson each hit a single.
“Going back to the game at Lakeland, I’m just not happy offensively,” said Barger. “I don’t know if we’re too aggressive and we’re swinging at pitches we don’t need to be swinging at, I’m not sure yet. I’m trying to figure this team out.
“The big inning ... yeah, I did start to think ‘maybe this is where we’re gonna turn it around, and offensively this is what I’m looking for.’ Graceanne absolutely hit the ball today, put it out in right-center twice and did exactly what we’re looking for, but we missed some signs today and we just weren’t good.”
The Chargers, who committed two errors defensively, pounded out seven hits in the win. Senior Kasia Wiegold and freshman Kacee Click hit two singles each, while junior Becky Yoder and freshman Lily Nelson hit one single each. Jones had West Noble’s only extra-base hit, a triple to start the bottom of the sixth inning.
Click got the complete-game win in the circle. She struck out seven and walked three.
Flannery was charged with the loss after giving up three hits and one run in 2/3 of an inning. She struck out one and didn’t issue a walk.
Freshman Olivia Stuck pitched the first six innings for Wawasee and gave up six hits and four runs. She struck out six and walked two.
The Lady Warriors are scheduled to host Elkhart Central today, their last game before spring break.
“Thursday is a big day, a real big day, to be honest,” said Barger. “Can we go into spring break clicking, or are we gonna start to fold it again? I don’t wanna leave it like this. We’ll pray that it doesn’t rain and we get the game in. They’re still unsure of themselves, and I don’t wanna leave for break after this game.”
Wawasee won the JV game 20-6.
Ava Rush pitched five innings for the win, while Autumn Conners had two hits and Ciandra Ervin hit a 2-run single.
WEST NOBLE 7, WAWASEE 6
WW 100 131 0 – 6 5 3
WN 020 040 1 – 7 7 2
Wawasee – Olivia Stuck (6IP, 4H, 6R, 2BB, 6K), Bethany Flannery (L, 2/3IP, 3H, 1R, 0BB, 1K); West Noble – Kacee Click (W, 7IP, 5H, 6R, 3BB, 7K)
2B – Kuhn (WW), Kerlin (WW)
3B – Nelson (WN)
Records: Wawasee 2-1, West Noble 1-1
JV – Wawasee 20, West Noble 6
WP – Ava Rush
Wawasee leaders – Autumn Conners 2 hits; Ciandra Ervin 2-run 1B
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