Despite a dominant offensive performance that included 11 hits and a standout day from Addyson O’Dell, the NCHS Varsity Eagles came up just short on Monday, falling 5-4 to the Casey-Westfield Warriors Varsity.
The Eagles outhit the Warriors 11-5, with O’Dell and Alisson Stanley each collecting three hits to lead the offense. O’Dell put on a show at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a solo home run in the first, a double in the second, and a single in the seventh. Her early homer helped keep the Eagles within striking distance after the Warriors jumped ahead in the top of the first.
Casey-Westfield opened the game with a bang, plating three runs in the first inning. Lucy Moore delivered an RBI single before Tristan Ring launched a two-run homer to left, giving the Warriors a 3-0 advantage.
O’Dell quickly answered in the bottom of the first with her solo shot to right, igniting the Newton offense. The Eagles tied things up in the second after a pair of RBI singles, including one from Jorjia Reich, leveling the score at 3-3.
The game remained tied until the sixth, when Allyson Truelove came through for Casey-Westfield with a clutch go-ahead RBI single. The Warriors added one more insurance run to stretch the lead to 5-3.
Newton clawed back in the bottom of the seventh, but their rally fell just short. Despite their offensive firepower, they were unable to overcome the early deficit and late-game push by Casey-Westfield.
Amelia Collins took the loss for the Eagles, pitching a complete game. She allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits, striking out four and walking two. Ava Goble earned the win for the Warriors, going the distance as well, allowing four runs on 11 hits while striking out three with no walks.
Casey-Westfield was led by Truelove and Moore, who each had two hits. Ring’s two-run homer proved to be a key difference in the tight contest.
While the loss stings, the Eagles have much to be encouraged by—especially the red-hot bats of O’Dell and Stanley and their ability to produce consistent offense throughout the lineup. With a few defensive adjustments and some timely hits, this group remains a tough matchup for any opponent.
