Lady Jags softball starts hot, finishes cool at ACA, falls 14-6
The Northridge Lady Jags softball team got off to a hot start across town this afternoon at American Christian Academy. Unfortunately, the four run first inning was the highlight of the game for the Lady Jags. After the first inning, the Lady Patriots scored 10 runs before Northridge could put a light in another scoring column. ACA went on to take a 14-6 victory over the Lady Jags.
Anna Reed led off the top of the first with a floating single over second base. Anna Kate Henderson followed with a 4-pitch walk and Mills Hitchner was hit by pitch to load the bases with no outs. With two strikes, Rhylynn Page lofted a Lady Patriot pitch over the left-center field fence for a bases-clearing grand slam. After the Lady Jags went 1-2-3 following the shot by Page, ACA evened the score at 4-4 after one complete inning.
The Lady Patriots added a go-ahead run in the bottom of the second inning and doubled up the score on the Lady Jags in the bottom of the third, 8-4.
Things were peaceful on the scoreboard until the bottom of the fifth, when the Lady Patriots tacked on another two runs for a 10-4 lead over Northridge.
The Lady Jags MayMay Williams scored – as a courtesy runner for Page, who had picked up a single as the second batter of the top of the sixth inning – on a single by Madelyn Abston, bringing the Lady Jags within five at 10-5.
ACA added four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, making the score 14-5. The Lady Jags did get on the scoreboard one more time, with two outs, in the bottom of the seventh. But, that was all Northridge could muster in the final inning, resulting in the 14-6 win by the Lady Patriots.
Page led the Lady Jags at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a grand slam and single. Reed, Henderson, Hitchner, Abston and Sarah Copeland collected one hit each for Northridge. Page totaled four RBIs on the evening. Hitchner and Abston secured one RBI each. Reed scored twice for the Lady Jags.
Anna Cate Henderson completed six innings on the mound for Northridge, striking out one, walking three and giving up 14 runs on 18 hits.
