The HDC Champion North Harrison Lady Shamrocks received strong starting pitching from Payton Craig and timely offense to win at Maysville on Monday night by a score of 4-2. The win over the Lady Wolverines sends North Harrison to the state semifinals in Springfield on Friday afternoon, ending the Lady Wolverines season at 13-13.
A two-run single by Brandy Rivet in the 5th inning was the decisive blow in the game, as the Lady Shamrocks were able to break out of the stranglehold of a pitcher’s duel developing between Payton Craig and Maysville’s Sadie Smith.
The hit by Rivet gave the Shamrocks a 3-1 lead, but Maysville did not go quietly, cutting the lead in half with a 6th inning tally. In the Shamrock 7th, an RBI double by Mason Cracraft gave North Harrison an important insurance run, with Craig able to slam the door in the Wolverine 7th, sending the Shamrocks to state.
In a complete game effort, Payton Craig allowed only three hits and struck out seven batters.
On Friday at 2 o’clock, North Harrison will play the Canton Lady Tigers in the Class 1 state semifinals in Springfield. Canton, the “Northeast Missouri” entrant into the Class 1 “Final Four”, beat Gallatin 17-6 in the sectional round, before downing Salisbury 6-3 in the state quarterfinals on Saturday.
Chaffee and Pilot Grove play in a Class 1 semifinal on Friday at 2 PM. The third place game will be Friday night at 7 o’clock. The Class 1 state title game will be played Saturday afternoon at 4 o’clock.
