By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
PIONEER (April 10, 2024) – North Central took advantage of five errors by the Blackbirds to get a 6-2 win in the BBC opener for the Eagles.
North Central’s first two runs came in the bottom of the opening inning as three ground balls resulted in three Pettisville errors and put a pair of runs on the board for the Eagles.
Pettisville used a two-out rally to get on the board in the third as Morgan Blosser drew a walk, advanced to second on an error, and then scored on a single to left by Kelsey Bennett to make it 2-1.
The Blackbirds tied the game in the fifth with another two-out rally that started with a walk by Blosser.
Blosser advanced to second on a passed ball and Bennett would drive in her second run of the night, this time on a double to center, to tie the score at 2-2.
North Central regained the lead in the bottom the fifth beginning with Amara Wright reaching on an error with one out.
Ashlynn Martin followed with a single to center to move Wright to third and Darbi Stewart grounded out to the Pettisville pitcher S. Beltz to bring home Wright and make it 3-2.
The Eagles put the game on ice in the sixth as Lilly McMillen singled, Ava Gruber walked, and Madison West reached in the fifth error of the night, scoring McMillen to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Eagles then capped off their scoring as Ava Livengood and Gracie Zuver each added RBI groundouts before a Stewart groundout ended the inning.
Stewart went the distance in the circle for North Central allowing just four hits with nine strikeouts to get the win.
Bennett finished with two hits and two RBIs for Pettisville while Olivia Miller had two singles.
PETTISVILLE 001 010 0 – 2 4 5
N. CENTRAL 200 013 x – 6 4 1
Records: Pettisville 1-3 (0-2 BBC), N. Central 1-4 (1-0 BBC)
WINNING PITCHER: Stewart (7 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 0 earned, 9 strikeouts, 2 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Hoylman (6 innings, 4 hits, 6 runs, 1 earned. 4 strikeouts, 4 walks)
LEADING HITTERS: (Pettisville) Bennett – double, single, 2 RBIs; Miller – 2 singles; (NC) Turner – double