Addison Coates could not have picked a better time for her first home run.

Coates connected for a three-run blast in the bottom of the ninth inning as Northeast trimmed Central Heights 13-10 Thursday to complete a sweep of their Three Rivers League softball doubleheader in Arma.

In a game filled with late-inning drama, Central Heights owned an 8-7 lead after six innings and added two runs in the seventh on two errors, two hit batsmen and a passed ball.

But the Vikings answered in the bottom of the seventh. Destiny Hagan reached on an error with one out, and Delaney Lusker’s two-out single and a hit batsman loaded the bases. Presley Warford cleared the bases with a triple to right field to send the game into extra innings.

Erin Doubledee walked to start the Northeast ninth, and courtesy runner Sophie Meek advanced to third when Warford reached on an error. With one out, Coates launched her homer to right field, her third hit of the game.

Warford and Hagan contributed two hits apiece, and Hagan scored three runs.

Doubledee was the winning pitcher, striking out 14 batters and walking seven. According to the Vikings’ statistics, she did not allow a hit, but Northeast committed nine errors, leading to nine unearned runs.

Doubledee threw 189 pitches, 104 for strikes.

Central Heights pitcher Aracely Crump gave up 11 hits and six earned runs, fanned seven and walked six. She threw 182 pitches, 111 for strikes.

NORTHEAST 10,
CENTRAL HEIGHTS 9

Doubledee had a triple among her three hits and drove in three runs as the Vikings prevailed in the first game.

Ciara Neville hit two doubles and drove in two runs for Northeast. Luskey had a single, double and two runs batted in, and Hagan contributed two hits and scored four runs.

Neville also was the winning pitcher, giving up seven hits and three earned runs with six strikeouts and three walks. She threw 124 pitches, 72 for strikes.

Lyla Hamblin had a home run, double and three RBI for Central Heights, and Cayleigh Latimer had two doubles and two runs batted in.

Crump gave up 11 hits and six earned runs and struck out 11. She had 125 pitches, 90 in the strike zone.