By Brad Greer

After losing their first district game in two years to Marshall 2-1 last Thursday, the North Delta fastpitch softball team got back on the winning track Monday night with a 6-1 victory over Kirk.

The Green Wave broke open a tight 2-1 game with a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to pull away from the pesky Lady Raiders. The game was called in the bottom of the sixth due to  the hour-and-a-half time limit.

Janie Brasell reached on an error to start the bottom of the fourth inning for North Delta. Hannah Heafner followed with a single but was erased at second on a force out by leadoff hitter Anna Lloyd.

After Maribeth Johns struck out for the second out of the inning, Hastings Neal reached on an error that allowed Brasell and Lloyd to score.

North Delta extended its lead to 6-1 in the fifth on Kristen Moudy’s two-run single that drove in Sarah Johnson and Julianna Morrow.

Peyton Rico picked up the win in the circle for North Delta as they improved to 3-1 in district play and 8-4 overall. Rico gave up two hits over six innings while walking three and striking out eight which included striking out the side in the second and third innings.

North Delta grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on Neal’s RBI single up the middle to drive in Johns. The Lady Wave scratched across another run in the third as Morrow drew a bases loaded walk to force in Lloyd.

Kirk scored their lone run in the top of the fourth as Hayden Grantham led off the inning with a single and later scored on a groundout by Katie Toole. Mallory Harrison took the pitching loss for the Lady Raiders.
Lloyd, Johns and Morrow paced North Delta at the plate with two singles each while Neal, Moudy and Heafner supplied singles.

The Lady Waves returned to the diamond Tuesday night as they hosted Magnolia Heights in a non-district tilt.

Led by a powerful hitting display, the Chiefs proved to be rude guests by pounding 14 hits on their way to a 10-2 victory over North Delta.

Magnolia Heights wasted little time putting the game away early by sending 10 batters to the plate in a five-run second inning that was aided by three Green Wave errors.

Neal drove in both runs for the Wave with a first inning sacrifice fly to score Lloyd followed by a RBI single in the third that drove in Courtney DuBravec.

Lela Savage paced Magnolia Heights with three hits at the plate while Andi Hannaford, Kat Gaines, Bre Thompson and Katlyn McClusky registered three hits each.

Rico took the loss for North Delta by pitching four innings before being replaced by Johnson. Myles Durham singled to record the only other hit for the Wave.

North Delta (8-5) will take on Jackson Academy Saturday morning at 10:30 before playing Tri- County Academy at 1:30 in the Tri- County tournament.