ALLEMAN — For the second consecutive season a North Polk batter stunned Perry with a first inning home run.
And for the second consecutive year, the Jayettes were having none of that after the initial shock in rallying for victories. Last season Perry responded to post a 12-1 win in five innings, and while Tuesday’s win was by a 4-2 margin, North Polk’s offense amounted to a single walk over the final six innings.
Ellie Owen started the game with a single and scored one out later with Carolyn Steffen dropped one just beyond the fence for a startling 2-0 Comet lead.
Perry tied the game in the top of the second when Adriana Eastman and Gabby West drove in runs on ground balls.
Perry ace Emma Olejniczak locked everything down from that point on. The senior finished with nine strikeouts against the two hits, one walk and two runs allowed in collecting the win.
Right fielder Rachel Kinney was busy defensively, making three catches and throwing one runner out at first base to deny a base hit.
As in Monday’s opener against Des Moines Christian, Perry was guilty of not capitalizing on numerous base runners. The Jayettes had one rally snuffed on a double play, another erased on a base running miscue and on two other occasions left runners aboard.
The visitors did cash in with a rally in the sixth to provide the final margin. Olejniczak singled and stole second base, with a Brooke Huntington single putting runners on the corners. Courtesy runner Grace Stewart was allowed to take second base and followed Olejncizak across the dish when West came through with a two-run single.
Huntington and Alyssa Kruger were each 2-for-3 with a double to lead the offense, with West driving in three runs and Eastman one.
Perry visits rival Winterset tonight before returning home Friday to host Norwalk.
