The Northwestern High School girls softball team is still at the top of the Heart O' North Conference, and Tigers coach Rees Flint thinks the girls were aware of that in their game against Chetek Tuesday night.
"The girls were playing tight with the pressure of Cumberland behind us," NHS coach Rees Flint said.
Cumberland, just one game behind the Tigers in the HON Conference, had won all of its games in the week, so Northwestern had to do the same to stay in first place by itself.
The Tigers did managed to pull off a 2-1 victory Tuesday, but it took them nine innings against a tenacious Chetek team.
"This was just the kind of game we needed going into the playoffs, especially for some of the younger girls," Flint said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Both teams scored in the first inning to tie the game at one. Chetek had an unearned run, while Lindsay Garay singled and then scored on Anna Morgan's RBI single for Northwestern.
After the first inning neither team could get another run in regulation.
"We hit the ball hard all day long, but we were just hitting it right at them (Chetek)," Flint said. "I've got to give credit to Chetek's defense. They made some great plays."
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Hanna Paquette led off with a single for the Tigers. Lindsey Schiff, running for Paquette, advanced to second on a wild pitch and stole third base on a dropped third strike.
Sophomore Paige Pearson then stepped up to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly to score Schiff and win the game.
Garay pitched five innings and struck out two, and Larissa Flint pitched two innings with three strikeouts and one hit to get the win for the Tigers.
TIGER TALES: With the victory, Northwestern improves to 14-1 overall and 10-1 in the HON. ... The Tigers will play a doubleheader at Bloomer beginning at beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday. ... Northwestern was recently given the No. 1 seed in the upcoming playoffs and along with a first-round bye. The Tigers will host the winner of the Ashland (5) and Amery (4) game on Tuesday, May 22.
