Danielle Robbins of Jonathan Alder swings through a pitch during a Central Buckeye Conference game at North Union on Friday. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
Bailee Amstutz of North Union hurls a pitch during Friday’s game against Jonathan Alder. Amstutz gave up seven hits and two runs during the loss. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
In what has become to be a rivalry game in the Central Buckeye Conference between the North Union and Jonathan Alder softball teams, the two squads are always going back and fourth with each season that passes.
North Union was the only team to topple the eventual Division II state champ JA in 2019.
The Lady Pioneers, though, got the best of the Lady Cats by a 2-0 verdict on Friday.
North Union head coach Dawn Draper said these are the game she wants her team to be playing, even though they lost.
“Jonathan Alder is always a great game to play, because they are a rival of ours and it is just good softball,” she said.
The bulk of the low-scoring game was played inside the circle.
Marlee Jacobs took the rubber for the Lady Pioneers, while Bailee Amstutz got the nod for the Lady Cats.
Jon Alder got a lead-off hit that bounced off Amstutz’s foot to put Danielle Robbins at first base.
She took second with ease and worked around to third before Amstutz got out of the early jam with a ground ball force out at first base.
Jacobs sat the Lady Cats down in order with a strikeout for the third out of the inning.
The two pitchers continued to tangle into the second.
Alder’s Lilly Walker beat out an infield single. She went for second base on the steal, but a solid throw by NU’s Kennedy Ruhl ended the inning.
North Union notched its only hit of the game in the bottom of the second inning.
Amstutz belted a ball threw the infield for a single.
North Union’s offense was short-lived as Jada Davis popped out to second base to end the inning.
Robbins picked up her second hit of the game on a bunt down the first base line.
She made her way to second on a successful steal, but NU shut the door with some solid defense.
Alder head coach Dave McGrew told his team to just keep hitting the ball and the runs would come.
“We couldn’t get that two-out hit, but like I told the girls the difference in a tough rivalry game like this is somebody is going to make a mistake or two,” he said.
Alder continued to find the ball inside the box, but NU proved to be difficult in the field.
Robbins notched her third hit in the top of the fifth inning.
An errant throw by the Cats put JA runners at first and second.
North Union’s solid defense shut the door quickly on the Pioneers’ scoring chance.
Jacobs hit a ball up the middle that NU’s Regan Martino scooped. She flipped to Davis on the cover at second.
Davis then relayed the ball to Candace Halloway at first for a double play that got the Lady Cats out of the jam.
Draper said her team has what it takes to win close battles, but just needs to clean things up a bit.
“We played well, getting out of the crunch between the first and the sixth inning,” she said. “We’ve just got to finish strong and that’s where we are.
“We’ve got a lot of good things, but just need to finish.”
Both pitchers kept the scoreboard 0-0 through six innings.
The seventh, however, is when everything changed.
Jon Alder brought in Danielle Phelps to pinch-hit.
The move paid off as she belted the ball to shortstop.
NU’s Davis struggled to get the ball out of her glove, which allowed Phelps to reach first.
Evan Platfoot laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Phelps to second.
Robbins followed with another sac bunt that put Phelps at third.
Kiersten Dolby stepped to the plate and laced a line drive into left field that plated the first run of the game.
Jacobs followed with a single to centerfield.
Kylie King put the bat to the ball with a high shot to the right field.
NU’s Jacklyn Fishbaugh had a solid line on the ball, but mishandled the catch.
That allowed JA to plate its insurance second run.
Draper said errors during close games have been the team’s downfall.
“Our four losses have been because of a two-out error with runners on in an opportune time for the other team,” she said. “We then lose by one or two runs.
“We are losing that battle by just that little bit and it eats at a coach,” said Draper. “But it is not for lack of effort.”
Amstutz tallied the third out by inducing a ground ball.
Armed with the lead, Jacobs returned to the circle and sat NU down in order to tally the win.
McGrew said Jacobs has been a major asset to this year’s young team.
“Missing last year really hurt the sophomores, but (Jacobs) is throwing better than she did when we won it all in ’19,” he said. “We’ve got the second and first basemen back from that team and they have been good leaders.
“We are starting to get our legs.”
Jonathan Alder moves to 10-1 on the season, while the Lady Cats fall to 7-4.
North Union will return to action today at the Battle for the Cure tournament in Lancaster.
JA will travel to Kenton Ridge on Monday.
JA 000 000 2 2 7 1
NU 000 000 0 0 1 4
WP- Jacobs
LP- Amstutz
Regan Martino of North Union flips the ball toward second base after gloving a grounder that turned a double play against the Lady Pioneers. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)