Cougars' softball team advances to sectional final

Thursday, May 23, 2013
Cougars' junior Bailey Ault hauls in a pop fly from her first base position during Wednesday's sectional semifinal game. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

CRAWFORDSVILLE -- The North Putnam softball team entered the bottom of the seventh inning with a five-run lead against Frankfort on Wednesday and appeared to be on the verge of an easy path to Friday's sectional championship game.

The Hot Dogs battled back to give the Cougars everything they could handle, but NPHS survived with a 5-4 win.

Sophomore pitcher Sabrina Surber was dominant for the Cougars for much of the game. She recorded 11 strikeouts against just five hits in her compete-game effort.

Tyeann Strow led NPHS at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Surber was 1-for-2 with a run, two walks and an RBI.

The Cougars' offense got going in the top of the third. Sophomore Morgan Albers led off with a hard hit ball to third base that was mishandled, allowing her to get to second.

Freshman Sierra Spencer hit a grounder to short that was also misplayed, putting runners on the corners with nobody out.

Junior Bailey Ault reached on fielder's choice that failed to make an out, then Surber and Strow hit back-to-back one-out singles to score a pair of runs.

Senior Cayla Kientz grounded out to the pitcher to plate one more for the Cougars and give the team a 4-0 lead.

NPHS added one more in the sixth when Ault led off with a double and scored on an error. The Hot Dogs totaled five errors in the game.

Frankfort's offense finally got to Surber in the bottom of the seventh.

A seeing-eye single snuck past the reach of senior shortstop Katie Welch to open the inning, then two more batters reached in a row. A few errors and misplays led to all three scoring.

Surber picked up a strikeout to halt the run, then another batter reached on a fielder's choice. She recovered from the emotional let-down to record an easy groundout and strikeout of the Hot Dogs' one- and two-hitters to end the game and send NPHS to Friday's championship.

The Cougars face Lebanon. The Tigers beat Southmont in Wednesday's other semifinal.

NPHS plays in the sectional championship game Friday at Crawfordsville at 6 p.m.



IHSAA Sectional semifinal
At Crawfordsville

North Putnam...............004 001 0 -- 5 6 2 10
Frankfort......................000 000 4 -- 4 5 5 4

WP -- Surber
LP -- A Mullins

2B -- NP: Ault; F: Orem

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