PORTAGE, Ind. – The Niles Nitro 14U Softball finished third at A World Series qualifier last weekend.

The Nitro started off slowly, losing its first two games and then fought hard to finish third out of seven teams.

In their first game, the Nitro lost to the Hoosier Hurricanes 5-1. The Nitro bats were quiet as they managed only three singles by Kierra Fillwock, Kyle Myer and Maggie Hoff.

Myer had the lone RBI, while Megan McKeel suffered the loss.

Fillwock threw out two runners attempting to steal.

In game two, the Nitro lost 12-5 to the Angola Swarm in a game that was closer than the score.

Trailing 6-2 going into the bottom of the third, the Nitro bats tallied three runs. Courtney Ankrapp led off with a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. Amelia Ernsberger drove in Ankrapp with a double, Tala Gentry then singled in Ernsberger and reached second on the throw home.

Fillwock followed with another single scoring Gentry to make the score 6-5. The Nitro gave up six runs in the top of the fourth and the game ended with the score 12-5.

Gentry took the loss. Ernsberger had a double while Gentry, Fillwock, McKeel and Myer all added singles.

In the third game, Niles defeated the South Bend Sabotage 7-5. After trailing 4-0 in the first inning, the Nitro chipped away at the lead by scoring two runs in the third inning.

Morgan Richer led off with a walk and Maggie Hoff laid down a great bunt and when the throw got away at first, both runners scored cutting the lead to 4-2. The Nitro gave up another run in the bottom half of the third inning to trail 5-2.

Niles got one run in the 4th when Gentry led off with a double and scored on a single by Rachel Bonek to cut the lead to 4-3. In the top of the sixth the Nitro scored four runs. Gentry and Fillwock reached bases on errors and Bonek delivered another clutch single to score both runners.

McKeel reached on an error and eventually scored on a single by Myer to make it 7-5. Niles finished off the game with a double play when Gentry caught a line drive and doubled off the runner at first to end the game. McKeel picked up the win striking out four and allowing only one walk.

Bonek went 2-for-3 at the plate while Gentry doubled and Richer and Hoff both singled.
In the fourth game, the Nitro avenged its loss to the Angola Swarm by beating them 4-3 to advance to the semi-final game.

Once again they had to come from behind giving up three runs in the first inning and avoiding one more as Ernsberger threw out a runner from left field attempting to score to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the first the Nitro responded with three runs of their own. Olivia Jordan led off with a walk and stole second base and eventually scored as Gentry reached on an error. Myer walked and stole second base and after a passed ball, Gentry scored and Myer moved to third.

McKeel singled in Myer to tie the game at 3-3. Niles scored one in the second as Richer led off with a walk, stole second and eventually scored on a passed ball to give the Nitro the lead for good at 4-3. McKeel held the Swarm scoreless over the last four innings with good control allowing no walks and striking out one with some defensive help from Jordan Rank, who threw out a runner attempting to advance to second on a single to kill the swarm rally in the final inning.

Gentry led at the plate going 2-for-3 with a double while McKeel and Jordan added singles.

In their fifth and final game of the day, Nitro fell to a very talented Razz team losing 12-3.
Gentry went 2-for-3 with a double, while Ankrapp went 2-for-2 and Jordan added a single.
McKeel suffered the loss allowing one walk and striking out one.