Pictured: Braylynn Henderson on the mount for the Eagles.
By: Justin Hargrove, Assistant Athletic Director
Northeast Texas Community College hosted Kilgore College on Wednesday, April 12th in a conference double header with the Eagles taking game one 8-0 and game two 6-4 to earn the sweep.
In game one, NTCC was led offensively by Shea Nelson (Hughes Springs, Texas), who went two for two with a walk, homerun, four RBI’s, and three runs scored. Braylynn Henderson (West Colombia, Texas) would go the distance in the circle in the shut out, giving up just two hits over five innings of work with seven strikeouts to earn the win.
NTCC got things going in the bottom of the second with a three-run inning when Kailey Hancock (Pollock, Texas) earned first base when she was hit by the pitch to lead off the inning. Lily Galaviz (Denton, Texas) would move Hancock up to second with a Sac-Bunt. Shea Nelson would pick up her first hit and RBI when she singled to score Hancock. Nelson would steal second base and then Haley McAlexander (New Boston, Texas) drew a two out walk to put runners on first and second. Both runners would move up on a wild pitch to get into scoring position. Raelyn Kinard (Lake Jackson, Texas) took advantage of this and single to bring in two runs and bring the Eagle lead to 3-0 after two innings of play.
Another quick inning of work by Henderson brought NTCC back to the offensive attack in the bottom of the third when the Eagles scored another three runs to move the lead to 6-0. Hannah Boettcher (Valley Mills, Texas) would lead off with a hit by the pitch. Giselle Fuentes (Lacissine, LA) reached base safely to put two runners on the base for the Eagles. Boettcher would score on an error by the catcher while Fuentes moved up to second base. Nelson would come to the plate a few batters later and hit a Homerun to left-center field, bringing in her third and fourth RBI of the day.
The Eagles would finish off the shortened game in the bottom of the fifth when they plated two more runs to reach the 8 run limit. Hancock would reach first on a one out walk, then move up to second on a wild pitch. Nelson walked with two outs to put two runners on for NTCC. Jalissa Alvarez (Mount Pleasant, Texas) singled to left-center field to walk it off with the two RBI’s needed to end the game early.
In game two action, Kilgore would keep things a little closer but NTCC would not be denied the sweep in the 6-4 win. Anna Green would get the start in the circle and pick up the win going five and one-third innings before Henderson would come in for the final one and two-thirds innings to earn the save.
Both teams would go scoreless in the first inning of game two with Kilgore leaving bases loaded. The Rangers got on the board first when they scored two runs in the top of the second. The lead would be short lived as NTCC answered back in the bottom of the second with two runs to tie the game at 2-2. Hancock lead off with a home run to center field to cut into the lead. Autumn Bias (Cleburne, Texas) followed up reaching base on an error by the second baseman. Lily Galaviz came in to pinch run and later scored to tie the game when Alvarez doubled to right-center field.
NTCC would add to the lead in the fourth inning when Boettcher would hit a two out single to give the Eagles a baserunner. Skylar Liebrecht (Lakewood, California) would draw a walk to move Hannah to second. Hancock would double to bring home Boettcher and move the lead to 5-2 NTCC.
Kilgore tried to get back in the game with a run in the top of the fifth and top of the sixth cutting the lead to 5-4. NTCC would put the game away in the bottom of the sixth when Kinard lead off with a single. Liebrecht would double with two outs to bring home Kinard for the final run of the game.
Henderson continued her dominance in the circle ending the game on a strikeout with runners on first and third to end the comeback threat by Kilgore.
NTCC will be on the road at Paris Junior College on April 15th before returning home on Monday, April 17th for a makeup game with Trinity Valley Community College, game time against TVCC will be 3:00pm and 5:00pm.
