Defense, doubles lift NHS over Marshfield

Nevada High School freshman Peyton Eaton (7) tags out a Marshfield base runner at the plate during the Lady Tigers' 6-3 win Thursday at Bushwhacker Field.

Photo by Hank Layton | Daily Mail Sports Reporter

Nevada High School sophomore center fielder Kara Phillips was not expecting many softballs to be hit to her against Marshfield Thursday afternoon at Bushwhacker Field.

Then the first two batters of the game poked pop flies right at her. And the final two did the same.

In between, Phillips recorded three more outs — including a diving catch in the top of the fifth inning that saved a run — to help lead the Lady Tigers to a 6-3 win.

“Kara always does a really nice job for us in center field,” said NHS head coach Danny Penn, whose squad improved to 12-7 and has won eight of its last nine. “Her diving for balls is something that she’s worked very hard on because it’s not something that comes naturally to her. So, I’m happy to see her feel confident to do that in a game and see it pay off.”

Phillips also cashed in with her bat, slapping a two-run double in the home half of the fourth frame after Marshfield had pulled to within a run.

“Both innings that they scored in, I think we came back in the next half-inning and responded,” Penn said. “And that’s something we’ve really talked to our girls about, is when a team punches, punch back.”

Nevada delivered the first blow with a three-run second inning, when senior Claire Pritchett, junior Kirstin Buck, and freshman Ella Heathman each drove one in with base hits (in Pritchett's case, a double).

Marshfield (12-5) plated two in the top of the fourth to make it a game, before Phillips put NHS back up three with her double. The Lady Jays then got a runner on second in the fifth, when Phillips got a great jump on a line drive in shallow center and dove across her body to snag it and keep the runner from advancing.

“I was like, ‘Oh, shoot, I better catch this, this is a huge play,’” said Phillips, who then watched a pop-up to shortstop Bailey Ast keep Marshfield from scratching across another run. “I was fired up. That really got me pumped.”

After Peyton Eaton (who pitched a complete game for NHS) drove in another insurance run, Marshfield threatened again in the sixth. A passed ball with runners in scoring position allowed one to score — but Buck threw out the next runner from third base who was getting greedy (tag applied by Eaton).

“If they score two there, we’re a little bit closer, the game’s tighter,” Penn said. “So, that was a big out for us.”