Northgate gains 11th trip to Elite Eight with win over Harris County

HAMILTON-The Northgate Lady Vikings scored eight runs in the last four innings to come from behind and defeat the Harris County Lady Tigers 10-6 Thursday afternoon in the deciding game of their best-of-three AAAAA second round series.

The win not only improves the Lady Vikings’ record to 25-7-1 on the season, but they will qualify for their 11^th trip to the Elite Eight state softball tournament in 14 years at the South Commons Complex in Columbus.
Brenna Skalski and Carly Alderman opened the game with back-to-back singles and moved into scoring position when Jenna Pealor grounded out to second.
Emily Heath hit a ball to the Harris County shortstop who retired Alderman at third but Skalski would come home with the first Northgate run of the game.
The Lady Tigers came back in the bottom of the first inning with a pair of runs as starting pitcher Kayla Cotton and Taylor Williams had consecutive RBI singles and the home team had a 2-1 lead.
The Lady Vikings tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the second inning when Jessica Houk hit a solo home run but the Lady Tigers came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 4-2 lead as outfielder Trinity Smith had a two-run double.
After both teams failed to score in the third inning, the Lady Vikings came back to trim the margin to 4-3 in the top of the fourth inning as Mackenzie McCloud reached on an infield error that allowed her to advance to second and Brittany Futral followed with an RBI double.
The Lady Vikings took control with one out in the top of the fifth inning as singles by Casey Kent, Houk and McCloud brought home the tying run and after the second out of the inning, Skalski gave the Lady Vikings a 5-4 lead with an RBI single.
The Lady Vikings broke the game open after two outs in the top of the sixth inning as Pealor reached on an error, Kent followed with a single and Houk brought both home with a double to center field.
McCloud followed with a single to center that brought Houk home with the eighth run of the game.
Benefitting from the run support was starting pitcher McKenzie Peace who settled down after the second inning to keep the Lady Tigers off the scoreboard for three innings.
She would have trouble after one out in the top of the bottom of the sixth inning as she walked Williams and surrendered a two-run home run to Sarah Kate Jenkins, but after a pair of singles that sandwiched a sacrifice bunt, Peace was able to get out of the jam and end the inning.
The Lady Vikings built the lead back to four runs as Skalski led off with a triple and came home on a single by Alderman.
Pealor followed with a single and after the second out of the inning, Rachel Cook would come in as a pinch runner and eventually score as Kent had an RBI single to give her a 4-for-5 outing at the plate with a pair of runs.
The lead was enough for Peace who allowed a couple of base runners in the bottom of the inning in between outs who came away allowing nine hits and recording eight strikeouts.
Besides Kent, other players who provided offensive support were Skalski, Alderman and Houk who had three hits apiece and combined for five runs and five RBIs while Echols and McCloud had two hits each.