By Garrett Rudolph
GLADSTONE - On April 15, Gladstone handed the North Marion softball team its worst loss in over a year, and the Huskies would eventually drop their third game in a matter of five days - a stretch that would bring into question whether or not the Huskies were the same team that started the season with 10 straight wins.
However, all questions were silenced after North Marion beat Gladstone in convincing fashion, 5-0 on the Gladiators' home turf Friday, improving their league record to 10-2. Gladstone dropped to third place in the Capital Conference, at 8-3.
"That was probably the best game in the two years that (assistant coach) Scott (Casto) and I have been here," said North Marion head coach Carl Kordenat. "The girls knew the task at hand, we explained what we needed to do to get to the top and they played their hearts out for us on Friday."
Junior pitcher Sam Pack was nearly unhittable, holding the potent Gladstone offense to just three hits, while striking out 11, in seven innings of work.
Offensively, the Huskies racked up 11 hits, led by three hits each from Charli Woodard and Amanda Lee, and two hits for Amy Lepire, while the Husky defense was flawless in the field.
"(Pack) threw probably one of her best games of the year," said Kordenat, "which was really nice, because Gladstone beat her up pretty good last time."
Back on April 15, Gladstone beat North Marion 14-4, after jumping out to an 8-0 lead within the first three innings.
This time North Marion's pitching, hitting and defense all came together, the way Kordenat knows his team is capable.
"They just came out and played like we know they can play," he said. "That was the team that Scott and I know can show up every day, which was nice to see. That was a big, big step toward what we want to accomplish.
"It gets us right back where we want to be. We stumbled there for a bit, against (Gladstone and Cascade), and this gets us back to within a game or two of achieving our goal, as long as we take care of business against the rest of the teams."
This week, North Marion will be faced with another tough matchup Wednesday, as the Huskies travel to No. 7 Cascade (9-2).
The Huskies won the first meeting against the Cougars, but lost the second, 2-0, while being no-hit.
"That win on Friday was real important to us, as a team," said Kordenat. "That brings us back together and we're starting to play better and better every day."
|
