Wildcat girls claim first win of 2013

ARMA — Marmaton Valley High’s softball squad picked up its first victory of the season in a slug-fest Monday.
Just after losing a heart-breaking 11-8 defeat to host Northeast-Arma in the first game of their doubleheader, the Wildcats bounced back to outscore the host Vikings 16-13.
“It was nice to get a win,” Wildcat coach Brenda Mills said.
Northeast responded promptly each time Marmaton Valley reached the scoreboard in the opener.
The Wildcats scored four in the third to take a short-lived 4-1 lead. Northeast scored four in the bottom of the inning to retake the upper hand. Three more Marmaton Valley runs in the top of the sixth led to lead 7-5 before the Vikings retook an 8-7 lead in the bottom of the frame.
The Wildcats’ final salvo came in the top of the seventh to tie score at 8-8. But Northeast scored three to take the win.
Makenzie Harrison pitched, allowing four hits and six walks with two strikeouts.
Tabitha Ford had a double and triple for the Wildcats. MaRyiah Cavender, Kacie Shadden, Emily Boyd and Jocelyn Miller each had singles.
The hits and runs continued in the second game.
Marmaton held a 4-0 lead after its half of the first and 8-2 advantage by the end of the second. Northeast responded with a nine-run third to take an 11-8 lead. The Wildcats cut the gap to 11-10 after five innings and scored six in the top of the seventh to take a 16-11 advantage.
Northeast scored twice in the bottom of the inning before Harrison finished off the Vikings for the win.
Cavender got the start, allowing two hits and 10 walks in three innings of work with one strikeout. Harrison pitched four innings, allowing six hits with two walks and a strikeout.
Ford had two singles for Marmaton Valley. Kaitlin Ensminger singled, while Cavender delivered two singles and a double. Shadden doubled. Ashlynn Pinkerton had three singles. Shauna Knight, Boyd and Harrison had one single apiece.