Kody Price of North Union winds up for a pitch during the Wildcats’ tournament opener against Newark Catholic. North Union lost 13-4 to end their season at 12-9 overall.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
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The road to the state tournament can be a long one, but it all has to start somewhere.
For the Lady Cats of North Union, that start was against Mount Gilead on Thursday where they were able to continue down the path with a 21-0 win.
North Union head coach Dawn Draper had a plan for her Lady Cats’ tournament opener and said they followed the plan just as practiced.
“Our idea was to come out fast and that was what we did,” she said. “I thought offensively we came out ready to battle. We have been hitting the ball well all week.
“We wanted to put the ball on the ground at first and we did, but then realized we were good to go with hitting,” she said. “Everybody did their job today. “
The Lady Cats did their job so well that 15 hitters made an appearance at the plate during the first inning, scoring 10 runs on 11 hits.
On the defensive side of the ball, Madison Wedding got the nod to start in the circle for the Lady Cats.
She fanned 12 Lady Indians, while only giving up two hits and one free pass to tally the win. Draper said that her senior pitcher is ready for the post-season.
“Madi’s movement has been amazing,” she said. “She, being a senior and not being able to play last year, is ready to go. This is what she has been waiting for.”
The only other Mt. Gilead batter to find first base was in the top of the first inning when the Lady Cats made their only error on a throw from third to first.
Despite the nearly perfect performance, Draper believes her team can play still clean up its defense.
“Last year, we were power ball hitters and could afford to have three or four errors,” she said. “This year, we can’t afford to have three or four errors. So when we start the game off with an error, I’m just thinking ‘please don’t make this one of those days.’
“It wasn’t,” she said. “The girls wiped it out of their memory and they were good to go.
“However, we’ve got to get a cleaner defensive game.”
North Union continued to pour on the runs in the second inning, tallying three on several singles and a double the left-field gap by Josie Duncan,.
However, the real proverbial nail in the coffin came in the fourth inning when the Lady Cats plated eight additional runs, with base hit after base hit.
NU batted around the lineup to collect eight runs on seven hits.
The win moves the Lady Cats on to the next round on the road to the state tournament.
North Union will play Elgin in the Pickerington 2 District semifinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Olentangy High School.
MG 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3
NU (10) 3 0 8 x (21) (21) 1
WP- Wedding, 5 IP
LP- Noble, 4 IP
Wildcats’ baseball season comes to a close with tourney opener loss
The baseball Wildcats got out of the gates swinging, but a collection of errors ended their season with a 13-4 loss to Newark Catholic.
The North Union bats came alive early when Trevyn Feasel’s lead-off fly ball to right field found the grass for a single.
Nick Reeder drove in Feasel for the opening run.
Anthony Padovano put a hot shot on the ground for a RBI double and Fred Holt scored a run on a groundout to first.
Kody Price reached on a Newark error, while Padovano came across the plate to tally the Wildcats’ fourth and final run of the game.
Kase Orahood got the call to start on the hill for North Union and he was able to hold
the Green Wave sticks quiet through two innings.
NC’s bats came alive in the third as the visitors took a 5-4 lead after three innings.
The Wildcats struggled to find the ball, only collecting two more hits through the game.
The Green Wave kept the runs coming through a pitching change to Riley Young and Price, in the fourth and sixth innings.
The Wildcats ended their season with a 12-9 record.
NC 0 0 5 3 0 3 2 (13) (11) 3
NU 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 6
LP- Orahood, 4 IP