North ekes out 5-3 win
The District 5A-15 softball tournament is about a month away. It’s becoming clear how competitive the race will be.
The North Fort Myers Red Knights have battled three of their main rivals over a span of six days, including Tuesday’s 5-3 victory over the Ida Baker Bulldogs at Bobbie Dewey Field.
The Red Knights (14-1) stormed out of the gate this season with 12 straight wins, including a 1-0 win over Fort Myers last Thursday, but suffered their first setback the following night at Mariner, 2-1.
“There’s so many teams that can beat you,” Red Knights coach Jeff Miner said. “Our girls played outstanding against Fort Myers and I thought we played well against Mariner. No excuses, they just beat us.”
Tuesday’s game figured to follow a similar pattern with both North and Baker trying to execute fundamentally and avoid giving up a big inning. For the Bulldogs (8-4), that plan quickly dissolved as they surrendered five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Then it became an uphill battle facing North’s sound defense and ace pitcher Jackie Owen.
Senior Kayla Vetter came on in relief for the Bulldogs and shut down the Red Knights over the final five innings, but the Red Knights’ five-run outburst held up.
“When you get behind 5-0 against a good team, it’s going to be tough to come back,” Baker senior Caitlin Holloway said.
“If we could erase that one inning, it would be nice,” Baker coach Morgan Klare said, “but that’s not the way it works. After that first inning, I thought we played one heck of a game.”
Prior to the game, both teams were introduced along with players from the Cape Little League Softball major Hurricanes and minor II Crimson Tide. It was fitting since the majority of players from both the Red Knights and Bulldogs played at Cape Softball’s Burton Field in their Little League days.
It was a festive atmosphere until the first pitch and then it became an intense and key measuring-stick game for both teams.
Baker sophomore Katie Rieser, who battled flu-like symptoms throughout the day, tried to start on the mound, but struggled with control. North’s first two batters, Lexi Schlotter and Kayla Ramey, were hit by pitches.
Mariah Fernandez followed with an RBI single to center and Owen picked up an RBI on a bunt single, giving the Red Knights a 2-0 lead. The scoring continued when Jasmine Santiago walked with the bases loaded and Alyssa Dougherty lined a shot to second, plating Alex Smith and Micheala Schlotter.
The Bulldogs had no choice but to try and battle back after the rough start.
“We came out really pumped up and ready to play,” said Vetter. “We didn’t give up after the first inning. We stuck together as a team the whole way.”
Rain became an increasing factor in the middle innings, but that is when the Bulldogs did their best work at the plate. Allie Hare and Holloway walked to start the fourth and Rieser drove in the first run on an RBI double to left.
They also scored on a wild pitch, cutting it to 5-2.
In the fifth, Baker’s Shanelly Brown had a leadoff single and a throwing error allowed her to score all the way from first.
The Bulldogs managed to get one runner on in the seventh, courtesy of a sharp single by Louie Ross, but Owen closed out the complete-game getting a pair of flyouts to Santiago in center.
The Red Knights are off until Monday when they travel to Gulf Coast. Baker received an invitation to the Gulliver Prep Tourney in Miami. The Bulldogs play Friday and Saturday.
Ida Baker 000 210 0 – 3 4 2
North FM 500 000 x – 5 3 2
W – Jackie Owen. L – Katie Rieser.
2B – Katie Rieser (IB).