Senior Night Friday Harlem opportunistic in winning key NIC-10 softball game

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

ROCKTON – Harlem was limited to two base hits in its important NIC-10 softball game on the road against rival Hononegah.

One of the hits was a two-run homer by leadoff batter Bianca Barone, which gave the Lady Huskies a 2-0 lead in the third inning. The other hit was a single by Kirstin Fudge in the second, during which she and Elle Adams, who walked, were left on board.

But the decisive runs in a 5-2 win over the Lady Indians came by taking advantage of opportunities, such as walks, hit batters and errors.

Barone’s third home run of the season came in the top of the third to break open a scoreless tie. It also brought in Madalynn Fajardo, who started the third with a walk, for the early lead.

Hononegah got one of those runs back in its half of the third, but Harlem turned opportunistic to tack on single runs in each of the the fourth and fifth to make it a 4-1 game.

In the fourth, Caityn Bolding walked and eventually scored as free passes also were issued to Barone and Mackenzie Lawrence, while Megen Johnson was hit by a pitch.

Adams reached on an error with one out in the fifth. She scored her team’s fourth run of the game during the inning that featured Fajardo being safe on an error and Barone (1-for-2) collecting her first of two walks.

Hononegah’s second and final run was scored in the last of the fifth.

Adams was the starting and winning pitcher for Harlem (11-5, 7-0). She threw a complete seven-inning game, allowing six hits while striking out three and walking three.

Halem’s key NIC-10 game against Boylan on April 27 was rained out and rescheduled earlier this week, on Tuesday.

Next up will be a rematch against Guilford, at home, on Friday (May 6). That also will be Senior Night, with upcoming graduates being recognized for their efforts over the years.

Seniors on this year’s roster are Kara Fudge, Emily Guske Kayla Kampmeier and Briana Purifoy.

Guske, a standout over the past three years, has been sidelined by injury so far this season. Kampmeier is a starter this year, in the outfield, and also got a lot of playing time in 2015. Fudge has been on the varsity for three seasons as a defensive mainstay, also in the outfield, while Purifoy has seen action, as an infielder.

As the current season continues to wind down, the Lady Huskies will be at Jefferson on Monday, then return home Wednesday to take on Freeport.

Harlem defeated all three teams earlier ths spring.