By: Matt Scher, matts@977thebolt.com
Humboldt, IA – The Humboldt Wildcats picked up one of their biggest wins of the season Tuesday night, rallying for a 7-6 walk-off victory over No. 15 (2A) Pocahontas Area at Humboldt High School.
Pocahontas Area took control early, scoring twice in the first inning on Katie Rierson’s RBI double and a wild pitch before adding another run in the second on Kristen Axman’s two-out RBI single to build a 3-0 lead.
Humboldt answered in the bottom of the second when Gracie Lyon led off with a triple and scored on a wild pitch. The Wildcats pulled within one in the third after Claire Dieleman reached on an error, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Hayden Graaf’s RBI groundout.
The Indians stretched the lead back to three in the fifth when Emma Sobatka delivered a two-run double, making it 5-2. Humboldt responded immediately with its biggest hit of the night. Abby Armitage lined a bases-loaded, three-run double to left-center field, giving the Wildcats their first lead at 6-5.
Armitage said she stayed composed despite the pressure.
“A teammate gets walked, you take it personal, so I went up there kind of calm and confident. I’ve worked hard for where I’m at, so I just took it pitch by pitch. She’d been pitching inside, so I backed off the plate a little bit, saw it coming inside and put it right where it needed to go.”
Pocahontas Area tied the game in the top of the seventh on Sobatka’s RBI single with two outs, but Humboldt answered one last time.
The Wildcats loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh before Callie Olson raced home on a wild pitch to give Humboldt the walk-off win.
Head coach Sheridan Zeka praised her team’s effort against one of the state’s top-ranked teams.
“The girls really bought in tonight, and they came to win. We’ll give Pokey credit. That’s a great team. They hit the ball and they’ve got a stellar pitching staff. But the way we reacted tonight and the way we executed was phenomenal. I’m proud of them.”
Hayden Graaf started in the circle for Humboldt, pitching 4⅓ innings while allowing five earned runs on three hits with five walks and one strikeout. Adalee Nolting earned the win in relief, pitching the final 2⅔ innings and allowing one earned run on three hits with one walk and one strikeout.
For Pocahontas Area, Kristen Axman started and pitched five innings, allowing six runs, one earned, on seven hits with one walk and one strikeout. Lauren Hoover took the loss after pitching 1⅓ innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts.
The victory improves Humboldt to 9-17 overall, while Pocahontas Area falls to 23-9.
The Wildcats return to action Wednesday night when they host Hampton-Dumont/CAL in their final North Central Conference game of the season. Senior Night festivities will precede the 7:30 p.m. first pitch.