NTL SOFTBALL: NEB UPSETS CV TO REACH DISTRICT SEMIFINALS (2024-05-24)

Northern Tier Sports Report
WESTFIELD — For the second year in a row NEB softball upset higher seeded CV in the District IV, Class AA playoffs, this time beating the Indians 5-4.

“It was truly a team effort from every girl on the team,” said NEB coach MaKaylah Leljedal. “They all gave 100-percent, which is all I can ask. From the girls in the dug out to our starters, they were all focused and fighting for that win. Our pitchers worked well together to keep CV from getting comfortable. I was a fight all the way to the last inning, and I am so proud of each of the girls for fighting hard all the way to the end.”

The Panthers were down 4-3 going into the seventh when they pushed two across to take a 5-4 lead. Their defense held in the bottom half of the inning to secure the win.

Toni Herb (2-for-3) had 2-RBI and a double on the day with Makenna Callear (2-for-4) getting two doubles with a run scored. Hannah Berger (2-for-3) drove in a run with a double, Melanie Shumway (2-for-4) scored a run, with Kiarra Delancey (1-for-4) hitting a home run with two runs scored and two batted in.

Ava Lambert also crossed home.

Callear and Kelsea Moore combined for three strikeouts, seven hits, and one walk to get the win.

NEB jumped out with a run in the first as Callear led off with a double, then scored on a DeLancey sacrifice fly.

The Panthers made it 2-0 in the top of the third as Shumway reached on a 1-out single, then scored on a 2-out double for Berger.

CV would tie the game up with two runs in the fourth.

In the to top of the fifth DeLancey would reach on an error, then scored on a 2-out hit from Herb to put the Panthers back up 3-2.

The Indians answered with runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings.

DeLancey would tie the game with a lead-off home run in the seventh, followed by Berger walk. Her courtesy runner, Lambert, would score on a 1-out double from Herb for the go ahead run.

In the bottom of the seventh CV’s lead-off would reach on an error but a fly-out followed by a ground out saw NEB moving on to the next round.

With the win NEB gets a rematch with Muncy in the semifinals, who knocked them out of the playoffs a year ago.

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PHOTOS BY NICK COYLE

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