By: Justin Hargrove, NTCC Assistant Athletic Director
After the recent rains forced several days of postponement, the Northeast Texas Community College Eagle softball team traveled to Paris Junior College for the final series of the season. Paris Junior College took down the Eagles in game one by a score of 4-1, but the Eagles bounced back in game two with a 4-2 win to end the season on a positive note.
In game one of the day, Jamie Franks (Hardin Simmons University) started in her final appearance as an Eagle. Franks allowed four runs on six hits over six innings, finishing with no walks and six strikeouts on the day.
NTCC scored first in the fourth inning when Raylei Merrell singled to center to score Ramzi Smith (East Texas Baptist University), who reach base on an error to lead off the inning.
The lead was short lived as PJC scored in the fifth to tie the game at 1-1, and went on to score three more runs in the sixth to seal the 4-1 win over NTCC.
Merrell, Macee Hollins, Shelby Baker (Hardin Simmons University), and Smith each had hits to lead the Eagles offense in game one.
In game two action, the Eagles scored first to get things going in the final game of the season. Blakelea Nettles singled and then use her speed to steal second and third bases allowing her to score on a Ramzi Smith ground out to second.
With a 1-0 lead, Kara Carter tool to the circle for the Eagles. Carter pitched a complete game to earn the win in her final start for NTCC, striking out 10 on the day while allowing just two runs on four hits.
After PJC tied things up at 1-1 in the third inning, NTCC reclaimed the lead when Smith was hit by a pitch to start the inning and later scored on when Raylei Merrell was hit by a pitch with bases loaded.
Paris tied the game again at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth, but the Eagles shut them down for the rest of the game. In the sixth inning, Nettles again reached base and used her speed to score the second run of the day for her. Smith followed up two batters later with a solo homerun to give NTCC a 4-2 lead.
The Eagles had eight hits in game two. Smith and Nettles both had two hits and scored two runs each to lead the way for NTCC.
The Eagles had seven sophomores who finished their career at NTCC Saturday. Shelby Baker (Carrollton, Texas / Hardin Simmons University), Korbyn Bassett (Palestine, Texas), Kara Carter (White Oak, Texas), Lauren Chapa (Waller, Texas), Jamie Franks (Arlington, Texas / Hardin Simmons University), Blakelea Nettles (Conroe, Texas), and Ramzi Smith (Texarkana, Texas / East Texas Baptist University) all played final games for the NTCC.
