ACCIDENT — A big day at the plate from Demi Ross mixed with a strong start from Rain Ritchey led No. 3 Northern to a 6-2 win over No. 4 Mountain Ridge on Wednesday.
“We started off dead, and then we came alive and when we came alive, I feel like it’s contagious and we started getting hits,” Northern head coach Kadi Cosgrove said.
Ross went 3 for 3 with four RBIs including a home run and a steal of home.
After an RBI single in the first inning, Ross sent a two-run base hit into left to put the Huskies (11-4, 3-3 Western Maryland Athletic Conference) ahead 3-2 in the second.
“We just got beat by a better team today,” Mountain Ridge head coach Kim Jackson said. “Northern came to play, we had one bad inning and we got beat by a better team. We didn’t hit the ball, didn’t make the plays when we needed to make them. That wins close games, that’s what happens.”
Later in the inning, Lily Chambers drew a bases-loaded walk.
As Chambers took first base, Ross stole home to extend Northern’s lead to 5-2.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ross sent a fly ball into left for a solo shot to conclude the scoring.
“She just really wanted to win,” Cosgrove said. “I think we’re all getting geared up for tomorrow when we have a really big game against Allegany.”
Ritchey gave the Huskies a complete and efficient start in the circle.
The Miners (9-7, 3-3 WestMAC) opened the game with a pair of runs off a double steal by Macy Barth and a Lanie Iski single.
Over the next five innings, Ritchey did not throw more than 14 pitches.
“Rain pitched a wonderful game,” Jackson said. “She had the girls off stride, she threw a couple real nice changeups. She got girls out, she was throwing strikes around the plate. We looked at a lot of third strikes, but that’s part of the game.”
She had two innings last under 10 pitches and finished the afternoon with 114 across seven innings.
Ritchey’s final line was two runs off three hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts.
“She just knows these hitters and she knew where to throw them and what her best pitches were today,” Cosgrove said.
After allowing five runs through the first two innings, Mountain Ridge starter Destinee Johnson settled in.
She allowed one earned run and two hits the rest of the game, finishing with four earned runs off seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
“I think Destinee pitched a good game,” Jackson said. “We make a couple plays there, it’s a close game. We have a chance to win.”
The Miners were charged with a pair of errors, but also had several dropped popups and misplayed balls.
“You give them an extra out, put runners on base and all of a sudden, there’s a passed ball and several runs score,” Jackson said. “We didn’t make the plays we needed to today. That determined the game, it just wasn’t a good defensive game for us.”
Northern hosts No. 2 Allegany (14-3, 6-0 WestMAC) on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. before playing at Southern on Friday.
“If we secure these next two wins, I think that’s really gonna get us amped up and ready for playoff week,” Cosgrove said.
Mountain Ridge travels to Clear Spring on Friday at 4:45 p.m.