ELWOOD — Audrey Ricker did not get in trouble much Wednesday, in Elwood as the Pendleton Heights Arabians opened play in the Madison County tournament. On those few occasions that help was needed, the Arabian defense had her back.
Ricker allowed just three runs on six hits in a complete game performance as Pendleton Heights held off Elwood 4-3 to advance to the tournament semifinals.
Pendleton Heights (5-1) will play at Frankton at 5:30 p.m. today.
Facing Elwood’s star pitcher, Mackenzie Bryan, runs would be at a premium for the Arabians, so when Ricker ran into second inning trouble, it was important to limit the damage.
Gabby Leavell led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Shantel Blackford. After Holly Salee singled, both runners moved up on a passed ball, and Ricker was suddenly faced with runners at second and third with no outs. She needed an out.
“At that point, I’m thinking, I need to get a pop up,” she said. “It’s harder to score on a pop up or a grounder. A pop up or a strikeout is what I needed.”
On a 3-2 pitch, Ricker picked the first of her two strikeouts of the game to retire Maddie Dailey. Madison Tincher then hit a grounder back to Ricker, who ran at Blackford, who had wandered too far off third. Following a prolonged rundown, Ricker tagged Blackford for the second out, which started a double play that involved right fielder Delany Long covering first to catch Tincher before she could get back to the base.
“Audrey steps on the mound to compete,” Arabian coach Rob Davis said. “When she’s on the mound, I like my chances, and our defense is a step above. That strikeout was a big pitch, and our defense being in position to make that double play, right fielder Delany Long making that play, was huge.”
The Arabians used their small-ball offense to take the lead in the third.
Amanda White led off with a single and, after she was sacrificed to second, scored on a ringing single to left by Lauren Landes, who moved up to second on the throw home. Jayden Brown then started a string of three consecutive bunt singles, with Ashley King and Kelsey Sturgeon continuing the streak with RBI singles and a 3-1 lead.
“I thought when we were ready to attack, we hit the ball hard,” Davis said. “White was ready for that first strike and barreled it up good.”
With the lead, Ricker settled in. She retired 14 out of 15 batters through the sixth inning, preserving the two-run lead until the seventh.
White reached on an error leading off the seventh and, with two outs, pinch runner Chloe Closser stole second and scored on a line-drive single to left field by Brown to extend the lead to 4-1.
“That’s what champions do,” Davis said. “The two-out hit. I told Jayden that she won the game for us.”
That insurance proved pivotal as the Panthers plated a pair in the bottom of the seventh. But, as Elwood pulled to within 4-3 on a single to left field by Aisah McGuire, the defense again saved the day.
On the hit by McGuire, which bounced out of the glove of a diving Brown, Tincher tried to go from first to third for the Panthers. But left fielder Savannah Hawhee picked up the loose ball and made a perfect throw to third baseman Ashley King for the final out of the game, sending the Arabians to the county semifinals.
“Savannah knew what to do with the ball,” Davis said. “Anybody can go get the ball, but she knew what to do with it and threw a strike. We’re in position to make the play, I know we’re not going to make every play, but if we’re in good position, I like our chances.”
