PREP SOFTBALL: North Hardin holds on against Green County, 5-4 (05/28)

Neal Cardin

North Hardin's Shameen Eure beats the throw to first base as Green County's Jordan Perkins waits for the throw from catcher Jade Hayes after Eure slap hit the ball Tuesday night in the first semifinal game of the 5th Region Tournament at Hart County High

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Neal Cardin

North Hardin's Jessie Shartzer attempts to lay down a bunt against Green County during the 5th Region semifinal Tuesday night at Hart County High School.

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By NATHANIEL BRYAN nbryan@thenewsenterprise.com MUNFORDVILLE — North Hardin freshman pitcher Andrea Whelan had trouble breathing Tuesday night and her respiratory problems had nothing to do with asthma or even the high humidity at the softball stadium at Hart County High School. After giving up a grand slam to Green County slugger Brittany Estes in the bottom of the seventh inning, Whelan buckled down to induce an infield fly and a game-ending strikeout as her Trojans held off the Lady Dragons, 5-4 in the 5th Region Tournament’s early semifinal. “I really couldn’t breathe in the seventh inning,” said Whelan, who struck out seven, scattered six hits and walked three in the complete-game win. “But I guess it turned out fine. It all worked out in the end.” It was the second straight solid performance out of Whelan, who struck out 12 and limited Nelson County to three runs on five hits in North Hardin’s 11-3 quarterfinal win Monday over the Lady Cardinals. “I don’t know how Andi does it,” said North Hardin senior second baseman Natalie Nelson, who drove in what proved to be the winning run in the top of the seventh. “Andi’s got to be worn out, pitching two games back-to-back like that in this heat. Her arm’s gotta be hurting, but she just keeps on pitching.” And the Trojans keep on hitting. After lashing out a season-high 17 hits against Nelson County, North Hardin (22-13) responded with 10 hits against the Lady Dragons (22-10). Nelson went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, while junior center fielder Sarah Anderson went 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored. Senior right fielder Shameen Eure, who had two singles and one stolen base, reached base all three plate appearances and scored once, while sophomore designated hitter Jessie Shartzer reached base twice and scored twice. “We’ve finally come together offensively. We’re clicking. We know if someone is not hitting, everyone else can pick them up,” said Whelan, who not-so-coincidentally went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. North Hardin went up 3-0 in the top of the third as Eure and Shartzer hit back-to-back singles and Anderson doubled to score Eure. One out later, senior first baseman Heather Oldham reached on a bunt to the pitcher and Eure beat the throw home. Following a meeting at the mound, Nelson made it 3-0 by grounding out to score Anderson. The score stayed that way until the seventh inning, but North Hardin had to survive a bases-loaded situation with two outs in the fourth inning thanks to one walk and two infield fielding errors in a three-batter span. North Hardin tacked on what proved to be a pair of cash-in insurance runs in its final turn at the plate as Eure and Shartzer reached base on back-to-back errors and Anderson drove Eure in with a single. Two strikeouts later, Nelson plated Shartzer with a bloop single to right field. “I didn’t think I’d get a hit at all because I haven’t been hitting well this tournament,” Nelson said. “I didn’t think it would be a hit that would drive in the winning run, but then again, Jessie is pretty fast.” North Hardin’s last stand offensively turned out to be huge. With one out in the seventh, Green County right fielder Ashley Coomer and eighth-grade shortstop Micah Jones hit back-to-back singles. Second baseman Morgan Bale then drew a walk, loading the bases for Brittany Estes. That sent veteran North Hardin coach Donnie Baker out to the mound to speak with his infield. “I told them that even if she (Estes) hits a grand slam here, we’re going to win this game,” Baker said. And then Baker proceeded to doom Whelan because on the very next pitch, Estes’ third grand slam of the year easily cleared the left-field fence 200 feet away. “I was like, “Yeah, way to jinx me there Coach Baker,” Whelan said. “But not really. I mean, I left that pitch way out over the plate for her.” Whelan then regained her composure to get the last two outs to close out the game. “Andi’s good at not getting down on herself. She’s good at keeping her emotions in check. She’s pretty consistent out there,” Eure said. North Hardin will have to wait until tonight’s second semifinal to find out who it plays in the final, which was originally scheduled for tonight but has tentatively been pushed back until Friday. In the bottom bracket semifinal, LaRue County, the home team, leads Central Hardin entering the bottom of the second inning. “We’ve got to come out ready to play, no matter if it is Central or LaRue,” said Baker, whose team lost in the final last year to Nelson County. “We have to get the job done.” NORTH HARDIN 5, GREEN COUNTY 4                                           R   H   E North Hardin     003    000   2   5 10   4 Green County   000    000   4   4   6   2 Andrea Whelan and Sarah Greenwood. Kasey Estes and Jade Hayes. WP: Whelan. LP: Estes. 2B: Heather Oldham (NH), Sarah Anderson (NH), Brittany Simmons (NH). HR: Brittany Estes (GC). Nathaniel Bryan can be reached at 505-1758