North Greene’s Hannah Brooks was close to perfect from the circle on Monday night and Loren Blevins was perfect at the plate as the duo extended the Lady Huskies’ season with a beat down of Cosby.
In the Region 1-1A Tournament semifinals the Lady Huskies only needed four innings to earn 12-0 victory.
“All around this was a really good game,” North Greene coach Avery Weems said. “Hannah pitched a great game, the defense was good behind her and the bats were good. I thought everything was good on offense. We had some good bunts, we had hard hits and we ran the bases well. Then, everything is easier when Hannah has that many strikeouts.”
With the win North Greene is moving on to the Region 1-1A championship game on Wednesday. It will be against the winner of Unaka and Hancock County who are slated to play on Tuesday. If Unaka wins, the championship will be played at North Greene, and if Hancock County wins on Tuesday the Lady Indians will host on Wednesday.
Monday’s win also means North Greene advances to the state sectionals which are slated for Friday.
“It’s huge to be moving on. We are guaranteed that sectional game, and we really want to play that game here. But today we did what needed to get to that game. It’s awesome to get that security that we are moving on, but we really want that sectional on our home field,” Weems said.
From the circle on Brooks was in complete control on Monday. She faced 13 batters in the four-inning game and struck out 10 of them. The only blemish on her record in the no-hit effort was a walk in the fourth inning. She was perfect through 3 2/3 innings.
“My curveball was working really well, my screwball was working in and out and they were chasing it,” Brooks said. “I was able to work up and down as well, and I think moving the ball around was really important. I feel like I’ve put in a lot work, and it has really shown over the past few games.”
The day started with Brooks striking out the side in the top of the first inning, and in the bottom of the frame the Lady Huskies went in front 3-0.
Blevins got North Greene started by dropping a bunt single down the first-base line. She quickly stole second and third. While on first base Jourdanne Marr faked a steal and got the Lady Eagles to throw to second. The problem was that no one covered the bag and the ball went into centerfield, allowing Blevins to score the first run of the day.
Next Josie Graham lobbed up a fly ball to shallow right field. The defense could not track it, and Graham never quit running to put two runners in scoring position. Heidi Trentham put a pop up into shallow centerfield. The ball went in and out of the defender’s glove, allowing both runners to score.
In the second inning Blevins stepped into the batter’s box with one on and two outs. The senior took two big swings on the at bat without connecting, but then she found the pitch that she liked and sent a moon shot into orbit over the left field wall for a two-run home run that pushed the lead to 5-0.
On the day Blevins was 3-for-3 with a home run, triple, three RBIs and three runs scored.
“I liked everything Loren bought to the table on offense today,” Weems said. “She had the bunt for a hit, I thought her triple was hit harder than her home run, but the home run got a little higher so carried out. She had a great game at the plate and she had a couple steals. It was a well-rounded game from her.”
Cosby tried to break up the perfect game with a well-placed bunt from Lily Estes, but Trentham at third base was better and narrowly beat the runner with her throw.
In the bottom of the third Graham laid down a bunt single and put North Greene in front 6-0 on a sacrifice bunt from Kennedy Malone.
The Lady Huskies put the game away in the fourth inning with six more runs. Blevins knocked in the first run when she launched a triple into the left-center gap. Brooks knocked in Blevins on a line drive up the middle.
Graham followed by blasting a two-run triple into center field. She went on to score on a groundout. Madison McLain came in to pinch hit and she sent a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Charlie Turnmire. The run ended the game by run rule with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
North Greene finished the night with eight hits. Graham was 3-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored.
