NORTH VERNON — Jennings County honored its seniors against Columbus North on Tuesday, but the Bull Dogs spoiled the night by hanging on for their fourth win of the season.
Pitcher Meghan Waggoner, with the help from the rest of her teammates, retired the first nine batters in the first three innings and didn’t allow a Panther hit until the fourth inning in the 8-5 victory. Waggoner pitched the entire game, ending with five strikeouts and seven hits.
“Meghan was tough tonight,” North coach Ron McDonald said. “She’s getting tough, and the defense stepped up tonight and played great. We had a couple little lapses in there, but overall, we played really well.”
The Bull Dogs (4-15) took the lead in the first inning by scoring on a Lilly Hurt triple.
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Brittany Reichenba reached home on an error that allowed Waggoner to get on base in the top of the fourth. Brooke Bruin’s RBI-single, and Sierra Norman’s RBI-double gave North a 4-0 lead, but the Panthers (11-11) found a rhythm in the bottom of the inning.
Madi Skinner doubled, and three singles followed, including RBIs from Gabby Mahoney and Tori Lee. Jennings tied the game by having two runners score on a Haley Engelking ground out.
“With us, it just starts with one hit,” Jennings coach Bobby Willis said. “Somebody has to step up and get a hit to start something, and I think that’s what happened. Unfortunately, that was the only time in the game that we did it.”
North took the lead back in the fifth inning with an Aden Voss RBI, but the Panthers forced a second tie when Lexi Brown scored a run on a wild pitch in the sixth. North had two outs with bases loaded in the top of the seventh when Bruin hit a three-run double before being thrown out at third to put the Bull Dogs up 8-5.
“It was very big for the team, but it was definitely because of the way we played before that allowed me to get that, to be relaxed in that situation,” Bruin said. “I think we played pretty well. We can improve in all areas of how we play, but I think that was a very solid game.”
Jennings threatened to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the seventh by loading the bases with no outs. Waggoner kept her composure with the game on the line to record a strikeout before getting Skinner out on a fly ball to get two quick outs. Waggoner got behind 2-0 against Brown on the next at bat. Waggoner threw two strikes before Brown put the ball into play and North got the final out by throwing to home to prevent a run and win the game.
“I was just thinking, I have to pitch hard, and if my defense defends me, then we got this in the bag,” Waggoner said of the seventh inning. “I think it was really great of us (to get the win). We really came together as a team the last few innings and really pushed hard.”
Lilly Hurt went 3 for 4 with a triple and a double to lead North’s 11-hit attack. Brooke Rice went 2 for 4, while Bruin went 2 for 5.
Brown went 2 for 4 for the Panthers. Mahoney pitched the first four innings for Jennings and gave up with hits with one strikeout. Karlee Madinger pitched the final three innings and ended with four hits allowed with two strikeouts.
The Bull Dogs have gone 4-3 in their past seven games after starting the season with an 12-game losing streak. McDonald said they are playing their best softball at the right time.
“If I was going to be a team playing us right now and playing us in the sectional, we’re pretty dangerous, so I wouldn’t want to play us,” McDonald said. “I think that we’re hitting the ball and now. We’re starting to get the defense and the pitching that we had.”
