Down four runs and down to its final strike in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the North Central Missouri College Pirates, the Three Rivers College softball team came alive just in time.
The Lady Raiders rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh inning of Thursday's opener to tie NCMC, then won 6-5 after scoring a run in the top of the ninth.
That momentum carried over to the nightcap, as TRC rolled past the Pirates 14-3 in five innings. With Thursday's wins, Three Rivers (21-13) captured three of the four games in the series with North Centralm at J.D. Rains Field.
The Lady Raiders trailed NCMC 5-1 in the top of the seventh inning when Camryn Casey took a two-out, 3-2 pitch over the leftfield fence for a two-run homer which cut the TRC deficit to 5-3. Josie Bezzole and Natalie Wilks both singled, then both scored when Emily Graves' base hit was misplayed, tying the score at 5-all and forcing extra innings.
Three Rivers won the game in the top of the ninth inning when Bezzole hit a one-out double, moved to third on a wild pitch, then scored on winning pitcher Emma Crabb's sacrifice flyball to center. Crabb then tossed a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning to seal the win.
Bezzole and Wilks each had three hits, while Gracie Wright had a pair.
Crabb tossed three innings of hitless, scoreless relief to earn the win in relief of Elly Eckrich. Crabb struck out five and walked one, in addition to driving in the go-ahead — and eventual winning — run.
The Lady Raiders dominated on offense in the second game, scoring three or more runs in all but the third inning.
Wright hit a three-run homer over the centerfield fence in the top of the second inning to make it 6-0 in favor of TRC, then she and Alyssa Bastien led off the top of the fourth with solo shots to stretch the lead to 8-0.
Casey and Wright each had three hits in the nightcap, while Wilks and Lexi Davis each had a pair. Wright drove in five runs.
Crabb started and earned the win, going all five innings and allowing six hits, three runs and a walk while striking out eight.
Three Rivers is back in action Saturday for a doubleheader at Crowder. First pitch in Neosho is set for 2 p.m.
Mike Buhler - Daily American Republic