By Brad Greer

Having lost four games in a row, the last thing North Delta wanted to do was take on five-time defending 1A state champion No. 3 ranked Bayou.

But thanks in part to a four-run third inning and yet another strong pitching performance by Peyton Rico, the Lady Green Waves put an end to their losing streak with a 6-4 victory over the Colts Monday afternoon.

The matchup was the second time the two teams have met this season as Bayou took a 3-1 win in the Kirk tournament earlier in the season.

North Delta (14-9) took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as leadoff hitter Bradi Beard singled then scored on Laci DuBravec’s two-out stand up double.

Bayou (30-6), tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second when Karly Peden led off the inning with a single then scored on an Ashley Vickers two-out single up the middle.

The Green Wave’s big inning came in the third as Maribeth Johns, Hastings Neal, Lacu DuBravec, Erin Snider and Anna Lloyd roped consecutive singles to produce four runs for a 5-1 lead. Neal, Lloyd and DuBravec had two hits each to lead North Delta offensively.

Bayou began chipping away the North Delta lead in the top of the fourth by taking advantage of two  errors and two hits to shrink the Green Wave lead to 5-3. Peden and Shelby Newsom reached on errors to start the inning before Tyler Newton’s infield single off Rico’s glove loaded the bases with no outs.

Vickers continued the inning with a bloop single down the left field line to score Peden. Newsom then scored on a Lauren Bailey fielders’ choice.

North Delta picked up a huge run in the bottom of the fourth as Beard reached on a fielders’ choice, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Neal’s RBI single.

The Lady Wave caught a huge break in the top of the fifth as Peden was tagged out between third and home  to end the inning

Bayou added its last run in the sixth on Taylor Anna Bailey’s RBI single scoring Anna Grace Cummings.

Rico went the distance by giving up four runs (two earned) while walking three and striking out four.
North Delta will travel to Bayou Monday then return home Tuesday to face Marshall on senior night beginning at 5 p.m. with the Junior Varsity game followed by the varsity contest at 6:30.