The Worth County Tigers came out strong on Monday night and picked up a 15–0 win over the Maryville Spoofhounds. The score tells one story, but the game itself had plenty of moments for both sides to feel good about.
Worth County wasted no time in the first inning. Kristen Tracy came through with a solid single to knock in the first run of the night. That run got the home dugout fired up, and the players never looked back.
“We played really good team ball tonight,” Tracy said after the game with a smile. “Everyone in the lineup was hitting, and that’s what made the difference for us.”
Maryville didn’t give up, though. Pitcher Phoebe Hornickel battled in the circle against a lineup that was finding hits all over the field. She kept mixing pitches and tried to slow down the Tigers hot bats, giving her team a chance to settle in.
In the second inning, the Worth County offense really got rolling. Tracy doubled to bring in two runs, then Audrey Runde followed with a single that scored another. Before the inning was over, Rylee Ruckman came through with a 2-run base hit that pushed the lead even further.
Maryville coach Brylee Kemper of Maryville said these games are all part of the learning process.
“We’re still young,” she explained. “We’ve got four games this week and four more next week, so practice time is hard to find. But all that playing time is going to help us in the long run.”
The Tigers weren’t done after that. In the third inning, Tracy worked a bases-loaded walk to bring in another run. Right after that, Megan Tracy hit the ball hard into the gap for a double that cleared the bases.
Leadoff hitter Riley Ridge had a standout night for Worth County. She went 3-for-3 at the plate, and every time she got on base she was looking to steal. She ended the game with four stolen bases.
Runde and Ruckman both added more than one hit of their own, keeping the pressure on Maryville’s defense. Rayleigh Smith showed patience at the plate, drawing two walks and helping keep the Tigers’ lineup moving.
By the end of the night, Worth County had piled up 13 hits and eight stolen bases. Their offense didn’t let up, and their aggressive baserunning made it tough for Maryville to keep runners from advancing.
In the circle, Kristen Tracy kept Maryville off balance. She pitched four innings, struck out five, and only allowed one hit. She did walk three batters, but worked out of the jams without giving up any runs.
“It felt good to see us adjust tonight,” Kristen Tracy said after pitching and hitting well. “We’ve had trouble with slower pitching before, but tonight we were able to handle it better, which is a good step for us.”
Maryville had their own bright spots as well. Jesslyn Grayson lined a single that gave the Spoofhounds something to cheer about, and Mercedes Hall added another base hit to the total.
“Anytime we can get runners on base, it shows we’re moving in the right direction,” Kemper said. “Those are little steps, but they’re important ones.”
Worth County coach Cody Green has also been happy with the steps from his team.
“The girls are playing good ball,” Green said. “We’ve only lost three games, but at the end of the day, what matters most is how we do when districts get here.”
Green pointed to the team’s turnaround against King City earlier this year as an example of growth. After losing to them early in the season, the Tigers came back later and earned the win. “That first time wasn’t our best,” Green explained. “The second time we hit the ball better and made the right adjustments. It showed what we can do when we’re focused.”
Looking forward, Green knows the team has to stay sharp.
“I think we’ve got a real good shot at districts,” he said. “But this year, anybody can win on any night. We just have to show up ready every single game.”
Coach Kemper also spoke about her own path as a coach.
“This is my second year, and I feel more confident now than I did last year,” she said. “I’ve had good role models to learn from, and I’m still improving right along with the girls.”
Maryville won’t have long to think about Monday’s game, as they head to Bishop LeBlond on Tuesday, Benton on Wednesday and Stanberry on Thursday.
Worth County hosts King City on Thursday.
“We’ve still got some things to fix, but the goal is to be our best when it counts most,” Kristen Tracy said.
Worth County 10, Pattonsburg 3
Last Thursday, the Tigers picked up a 10-3 win at Pattonsburg. Audrey Runde led the charge with a triple and a pair of doubles.
Rylee Ruckman, Kambree Briner and Kristen Tracy each had two hits. Tracy got the win in the pitcher’s circle with one earned run allowed in seven innings.
Worth County 10, North Harrison 7
The Tigers rallied on Saturday for a 10-7 win over North Harrison. Riley Ridge and Kristen Tracy each had two hits.
Worth County 8, South Harrison JV 2
The Tigers won the North Harrison Round Robin with a 8-2 win over South Harrison’s junior varsity. Addie Gray had three hits while Audrey Runde, Kambree Briner and Riley Ridge each had two.
St. Pius X 13, Maryville 3
Despite two hits including a double from Ella Eckley, Maryville fell 13-3 at St. Pius X last Thursday.