By By RYAN ROCKWELL, Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE -- The Northside softball team got its first victory of the season thanks to timely hitting, overcoming a late Jamesville rally, to win 8-6.
Northside survived the roller coaster affair, answering every Jamesville play with a big play of their own on Thursday.
The Panthers (1-1) had to play catch-up early, falling behind 1-0 on an unearned run by the Bullets. Dale Mobley drew a leadoff walk and then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Mobley trotted to the plate with one out thanks to a wild pitch by Cooper.
Jamesville (2-1) returned the favor in the bottom half, committing two errors, which led to two Panther runs. Both Trisha Mercer and Roxanne Tankard scored on a throwing error by pitcher Heather Mobley, who overshot the bag at first.
The second inning would go much the same, as Jamesville plated both Michelle Barber and Denise Tetterton, who both drew walks, on back-to-back RBI singles by Blair Ainge and Dale Mobley.
Northside quickly erased a 3-2 deficit in the bottom half of the second with a three-run, two-out rally. After Mobley retired the first two Panther batters, Mercer started the rally with a double into left-center. A fielding error by Michelle Barber allowed the inning to continue, and Cooper plated Mercer with a single past Barber into left. Finally, clean-up hitter Candice Hancock put her team up 5-3, driving in both Tankard and Cooper with a single to center.
The middle innings came and went much more quietly as Mobley and Cooper gained control. Jamesville did not score in the third or fourth, while Mobley allowed just one baserunner over the next three innings.
Cooper did not allow a hit in the fifth, however a throwing error on third baseman Tiffany Fletcher allowed Heather Mobley to score from third.
Ahead 5-4, Northside got critical insurance in a three-run sixth. Pinch-hitter Phelan Fletcher got things started for the Panthers with a single into left, and then stole second. With one out, Mercer would conclude a 2-for-3 night at the plate, dropping a single into center. Tankard (2-3) drove Fletcher home, ripping a double down the third baseline, and Cooper (2-4) helped herself with a two-RBI single into shallow right. Mobley, who pitched all six and struck out nine, got the final two outs via ground balls, but the damage was done.
Northside led 8-4, heading into Jamesville's final at-bat.
Things got a little scary for Cooper, who pitched seven innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. The first four Bullet hitters reached base on four straight hits. Ashley Lilley ignited the near come-back, legging out an infield single. Then Mobley and Nicole Jordan singled to the outfield to load things up for Lauren Grimes. Grimes, who bats fifth, came through with a two-RBI single into right.
With no-outs and two aboard, the Bullets were flying and trailed by just two runs.
Cooper would end the threat, forcing the next two batters into a fly out and a ground out, before striking out Denise Tetterton to end the game.
JAMESVILLE 120 010 2 -- 6 8 3
NORTHSIDE 230 003 -- 8 9 3
WP-Crystal Cooper. LP-Heather Mobley.
Jamesville hitters: Dale Mobley 2-3 (RBI), Ashley Lilley 1-4, Heather Mobley 1-3, Kelly Green 1-2, Lauren Grimes 1-4 (double, 2 RBIs), Blair Ainge 1-3 (RBI), Nicole Jordan 1-2.
Northside hitters: Trisha Mercer 2-3 (double), Roxanne Tankard 2-3 (double, RBI), Crystal Cooper 2-4 (3 RBI), Candice Hancock 1-4 (2 RBI), Tiffany Fletcher 1-3, Phelan Fletcher 1-1.