NDB jumps out to early lead, beats Westmont

Unlike the first time around, seventh-seeded NDB jumped out to an early lead and then nursed it home for a 6-3 victory over 10th-seeded Westmont.

“It was a tough game,” said NDB head coach Tara Straube. “I was proud of my team in the first … with three runs.”

NDB (17-6) scored three runs in the first, tacked on two more in the third before adding an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.

Tigers’ second baseman Carlee Miller and starting pitcher Madison Earnshaw came up with the big hits. Miller stroked a two-run single to right to drive in Bella Parks and Ashleigh Dean in the first inning, while Earnshaw singled sharply up the middle to plate Bianca Magnani and Miller in the third.

“We’ve done a pretty good job this season with consistent hitting,” Straube said.

Earnshaw went the distance in picking up the win. She wobbled through the first four innings as Westmont (17-10) had 11 runners on base. The Warriors put runners on second and third with one out in the top of the first and Earnshaw navigated around those.

The Warriors appeared to get on the scoreboard in the second when Ashley Skipper lofted what appeared to be a sacrifice fly to left, with Cassie Lemon apparently tagging up and scoring.

But the Tigers appealed to third base and it was ruled the base runner had left early.

Third out. No run scored and the Tigers still enjoyed a 3-0 lead.

“[A call like that] can definitely change the tide of the game,” Straube said. “But we had a couple double plays that killed our rallies.”

Over the final three innings, Earnshaw finally settled into a groove and after giving up three runs on five hits through four innings, she limited the Warriors to just one hit over the final three frames as she retired 10 of the last 11 batters she faced.

“Madi battled. She always does,” Straube said. “This was definitely an exciting game for her. … She was still going at them (late in the game). ‘Zero-zero’ is what she kept saying, all game.”

After Westmont came up empty in the top of the first, NDB took advantage of a couple of Warriors errors to take a quick 3-0 lead. Noosha Steward led off the game with a double to center. Parks put down a sacrifice bunt, but was safe at first when the Westmont first base couldn’t handle a low slow. Steward wound up scoring on the play.

Dean followed with a solid single to center to put runners on first and second before Magnani moved them both up a base with a sacrifice bunt.

That brought up Miller, who delivered a one-strike, two-run single to right field for a 3-0 Tigers’ lead.

Westmont closed to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the third when Desiree Ross and Kaley Barber each drove in a run, but NDB came back with a two-run bottom of the third.

Again, a Warriors’ error opened things up for the Tigers. Dean hammered a double to lead off the third before Magnani drew a walk. Miller reached on a fielder’s choice, with Dean being thrown out at third. Kelly Nolte then reached on an error to load the bases before Earnshaw chased home Magnani and Miller with a solid single to center to put the Tigers up 5-2.

Westmont got one of the runs back in the fourth on a RBI single from Audrey Salvador.

But the Warriors would get no closer. The Tiger added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Kaitlyn Kiesel scored on the contact play off the bat of Steward for the final score.

Next up for the Tigers is a second-round game Saturday against the winner between No. 2 Santa Catalina and No. 15 South City.

At this time of the year, however, the opponent doesn’t matter. It’s all about winning and advancing.

“We have to play like there’s no tomorrow,” Straube said. “(My biggest concern) is keeping them motivated and keeping their energy up.”