Skip to main content

Polo knocks off North Andrew to win the GRC Softball Championship

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com

Polo Panthers defeated North Andrew Cardinals 12-2 to win the GRC Softball Championship.  It is Polo's second GRC title.  They also won in 2014.   Polo becomes the 5th school to win the GRC Championship in 5 years.

The Panthers got a one-out double from Chloe Gilbert in the first inning, but she was stranded.  Hanna Vaught pitched the bottom of the inning and was one pitch from being perfect.  She struck out the first two Cardinal hitters on 3 pitches each.  It took her four pitches to strike out the third hitter, but she retired all three hitters on strikeouts on 10 pitches.

In the second inning, Kendyl Fitzwater led off the inning with a triple and scored when Haley Barnett struck out, but the catcher was unable to secure the pitch.  North Andrew would get singles by Cassidy Brittain and Piper Cook in the bottom of the inning, but Vaught worked around them making the score 1-0 Polo after 2.

In the third inning, Jade Misel led off with a walk after working Katryna Warren to a 3-2 count.  Kenley Moore then reached on an error.  This opened the floodgates for Polo with their top hitter coming up in Gilbert.  She knocked two in with her second double of the night.  Hanna Vaught followed up with an RBI triple.  Mya Heil then doubled to score Cierra Stigger, who was pinch running for Vaught.  By the time the inning ended, Polo had scored 7 runs on 3 hits, 2 walks, a Hit by Pitch and 2 errors.  Vaught allowed one hit to Michaela Sybert in the bottom of the third, but was able to retire the Cardinals.  Polo led 8-0 after 3.

Polo added 3 more runs in the fourth inning.  Moore and Gilbert both singled.  Vaught knocked in Moore with a groundout, and then Heil recorded her second double to drive in Gilbert.  Heil would score on a Wild Pitch to make it 11-0 Polo.  Vaught would allow a couple of hits in the bottom of the 4th, but strike out the side.  She once again kept the Cardinals off the board.

In the 5th, the Panthers were unable to score after Schmidt led off the inning with a single.  Warren retired the next three.  North Andrew was down to their last out, but got 3 straight singles from Sybert, Warren and Madison Curran to plate 2 runs extending the game another inning with the score 11-2 Polo after 5.

In the sixth inning, Polo would score a run after Heil singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.  North Andrew was retired in order in the bottom of the 6th.  The game ended with Polo winning 12-2.

I caught up with Polo coach Becky Ross after the game.  You can hear postgame along with Coach Ross's interview here:


Stats (Unofficial)
Polo
Kenley Moore, 1-4, 2 R, 1 K
Chloe Gilbert, 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B
Hanna Vaught, 1-4, 2 RBI, 1 3B
Mya Heil, 3-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B
Kendyl Fitzwater, 1-2, 2 R, 1 BB
Haley Barnett, 1-3, 1 R, 2 K, 1 BB
Valorie Gabrielli, 0-4, 2 K
Emily Schmidt, 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 K
Jade Misel, 0-2, 1 R, 1 K, 1 BB

Hanna Vaught, 6 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 11 K, 0 BB

North Andrew
Teigan Miller, 0-3, 2 K
Michaela Sybert, 2-3, 1 R, 1 K
Katryna Warren, 1-3, 1 R, 1 K
Madison Curran, 2-3, 1 RBI
Cassidy Brittain, 1-3, 2 K
Kinzie Wilmes, 0-3, 2 K
Piper Cook, 2-3
Gracie Wilmes, 0-3, 2 K
Kelsey Rathburn, 0-2, 1 K

Katryna Warren, 6 IP, 11H, 12 R, 8 ER, 7 K, 3 BB


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2024 Grand River Conference 11-Man Football Preview

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by *Please cite Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com if you use the Coaches' Poll in other media 2024 is poised to be a year of significant change for the Grand River Conference. Adding Brookfield and Marceline as full members, who are competing for the football championship for the first time, marks a significant transition. These new members bring a new level of competition to the conference, adding another layer of anticipation. Gallatin and Maysville, with their new coaches, also contribute to the excitement. Despite the turnover, stability remains a crucial factor for the top teams, with the top five in the coaches poll all retaining their quarterback this season. The coaches poll was very close, with four teams receiving a first-place vote. Milan emerged with the most first-place votes at four. Despite receiving three first-place votes, Trenton accumulated the most points and is the overall pick to win the Grand River ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bell Game Rivalry joins the GRC

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com It's a mere 12 miles that separate Brookfield High School and Marceline High School, as per Google Maps.  But what's truly remarkable is the 54-year hiatus since these two schools last clashed in a conference football game. Brookfield and Marceline were both in the North Central Missouri Conference (NCMC) in 1970.  In 1970, the NCMC decided to fold.  A new conference with the same name would be organized,  Brookfield remained in a revamped NCMC from 1971 to 1975 before going independent until 1986, when they joined the Tri-Rivers Conference.  They jumped to the Clarence Cannon Conference (CCC) in 2010. Marceline was in the Northern Missouri Conference from 1971 to 1974 before joining the Lewis & Clark Conference in 1975, where they would be members for almost 50 years. However, the history between these two teams goes back much further. They played against each other for the first time in 1909. Brookfield won the fi...
Post a Comment
Read more

1000-point Milestone (and others milestones)

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by This blog will share photos of GRC and GRC West basketball players who have exceeded the 1,000-point mark (and other milestones) this season. Gavin Wilmes, Gallatin (1,000 points) Gavin Wilmes scored his 1,000th point vs Stewartsville-Osborn on March 3, 2025. Maverick Gentry, Polo (Single Season Record for Points) Maverick Gentry broke the school record for points in a single season, passing his dad, Jeff Gentry, who scored 609 points in 1991. Cy Carlson, St. Joseph Christian (1,000 points) Cy Carlson scored his 1,000th point against Nodaway Valley on February 24, 2025 Kiefer Tolson, Trenton (2,000 points) Kiefer Tolson scored his 2,000th point against South Harrison on February 24, 2025 Madison Lillard, North Andrew (1,000 points) Madison Lillard scored her 1,000th point against St. Joseph Christian on February 14, 2025 Natalee Pennington, Marceline (1,000 points) Natalee Pennington scored her 1,0...
Post a Comment
Read more