Raiders rebound with win over Colfax-Mingo
By Ben Frotscher NDN Sports Writer
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| Colfax-Mingo’s Brittany Harmison gets ready to make a throw to second base during a pickoff attempt in Thursday’s game with CMB. (Ben Frotscher/Daily News) |
BAXTER — It was a complete 180-degree performance for the CMB softball team.
After hitting a low point Wednesday night with a 14-2 mercy rule loss to Bondurant-Farrar, the Raiders came back with a gritty pitching performance from Brittany Moorman and enough offense to beat Colfax-Mingo by a 3-1 score Thursday night.
It was a night where CMB coach Troy Houge went out of routine — no pregame batting practice. He let his team talk things out before the varsity game.
“We had some things we needed to work out and get taken care of,” Houge said. “We had the team get together and iron things out with what’s going on. They did a tremendous job getting things taken care of, and whatever was bothering them, they got it out and got back together as a team.”
And the Raiders were highlighted by Moorman in the circle. She allowed just six hits, three walks and struck out two.
“Brittany did a great job on the mound,” Houge said. “She had the baserunners in position a few times and made great pitches when she had two.”
Moorman held the Tigerhawks off the scoreboard until the fourth inning when Colfax-Mingo drew first blood. The Tigerhawks used a CMB error to plate Cassie Schmidt, but it was a case of missed opportunities.
Colfax-Mingo left eight runners on base for the game.
“We didn’t perform at the plate — it’s as simple as that,” Colfax-Mingo coach Bryan Poulter said. “I could tell in the first inning they weren’t very focused, and they didn’t adjust.”
CMB went ahead of Colfax-Mingo in the bottom half of the same inning. Both Abby and Jordan Maher singled to put runners in scoring position after a throw home moved Jordan Maher up to second base.
Zeah Peterson followed with an infield bloop single to tie the game, and Jordan Maher scored on a delayed steal later in the inning to put the Raiders ahead 2-1.
“That was all her,” Houge said of Jordan Maher’s steal. “I give her the free reign at times because she’s a smart ballplayer. She got them to throw down and she timed it right. She did it perfect.”
But Colfax-Mingo pitcher Devanie Fahrney got her team out of the jam. With two runners still in scoring position, Fahrney struck out the last two batters to get out of the inning.
CMB added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a two-out RBI double by Jordan Maher to score Jackie Coughenour to make it 3-1.
Colfax-Mingo got the winning run to the plate in the top of the seventh inning after a single and a fielder’s choice, but the Tigerhawks ended the game with a popout.
Abby and Jordan Maher each had two hits in the win for CMB, while Brooke Berkey and Breanna Trainor had two hits for Colfax-Mingo. Fahrney took the loss for Colfax-Mingo in the circle after allowing five hits, one walk and striking out six.
It was Senior Night for CMB where the Raiders honored four players — Jen Coughenour, Jackie Coughenour, Jordan Maher and Hannah Paul. The Raiders (20-8, 12-5 HOIC) play next Monday at South Hamilton.
Colfax-Mingo (22-10, 11-5 HOIC) is back in action tonight at Class 2A No. 15 Pella Christian.
CMB 3, Colfax-Mingo 1
R H E
C-M 000 100 0 — 1 6 1
CMB 000 210 x — 3 5 1
CMB: Brittany Moorman 3K 2BB and Zeah Peterson. C-M: Devanie Fahrney 6K 1BB and Brittany Harmison. W — Moorman. L — Fahrney. 3B — C-M: Breanna Trainor. 2B — CMB: Jordan Maher. Multiple hitters — CMB: Abby Maher 2, Jordan Maher 2. C-M: Brooke Berkey 2, Trainor 2. RBI — CMB: Jordan Maher 1, Peterson 1.
