North Linn retains Tri-Rivers softball bragging rights, and the right to talk at school

TROY MILLS — Thanks for the support, guys.

As the North Linn Lynx prepared for their annual encounter with Lisbon for Tri-Rivers Conference softball supremacy, they got an earful at school.

“A lot of the guys were talking smack, saying we were going to get crushed,” Jersey Peyton said.

Who’s chirping now?

Ellie Flanagan poked a three-run home run in the first game and earned both pitching wins, leading the Class 1A fifth-ranked Lynx to an eye-opening sweep of 2A No. 2 Lisbon, 3-1 and 7-5, Tuesday night at North Linn High School.

It’s only the second week of the season, but North Linn (6-1 overall, 4-0 Tri-Rivers) can make an accurate claim as the league’s front-runner.

Again.

“I’m glad this team has come together,” said Peyton, who knocked in three runs in the nightcap.

Sometimes, the best run support comes from within. And that was the case for Flanagan in Game 1.

After Skylar Benesh reached on a dropped fly ball and Kenzie Bridgewater walked, Flanagan teed off on a 2-2 pitch for a 3-0 first-inning lead.

  Buy Photo

“If I’m being honest, I wasn’t thinking about anything in particular,” Flanagan said. “I knew I had to give the team something. I swung hard, and it was a good hit.”

Flanagan the batter deferred to Flanagan the pitcher from that point on, limiting the Lions (4-2, 2-2) to a single sixth-inning tally.

“Holding them to one run ... that’s a good team,” said Flanagan, who struck out eight and walked two. “We’ll take that.”

North Linn’s young, new outfield showed range, catching multiple balls hit to the gap.

Both teams started their No. 2 pitchers in the second game, with the lead exchanging hands three times.

Ella Clark put Lisbon in front 2-0 with a first-inning home run, then Peyton’s two-run double was part of the Lynx’s three-run uprising in the bottom half of the inning.

Lisbon went back up 4-3 in the top of the third, then North Linn answered immediately with three runs on consecutive hits by Peyton, Kylie Munson and Peyton McMahon.

By the time both aces were back in the circle, the Lynx owned a 6-4 advantage.

Peyton entered Tuesday with a .222 batting average. After a 3-for-3 nightcap, she was at .333.

“I’d been in a little bit of a slump,” she said. “But (Coach) Chad (Spore) gave me a lot of good info, keeping my head intact and getting the correct contact on the barrel (of the bat).”

North Linn 3-7, Lisbon 1-5

AT TROY MILLS

Game 1

Lisbon 000 001 0 -- 1 4 1

North Linn 300 000 x -- 3 4 1

Ryleigh Allgood and Blair Baltes. Ellie Flanagan and Jersey Peyton, W -- Flanagan (3-1). L -- Allgood (4-1). HR -- NL: Flanagan (2).

Game 2

Lisbon 202 100 0 -- 5 5 1

North Linn 303 100 x -- 7 10 4

Addi Petersen, Ryleigh Allgood (3) and Blair Baltes. Kylie Munson, Ellie Flanagan (4) and Jersey Peyton. W -- Flanagan (4-1). L -- Petersen (0-1). HR -- LIS: Ella Clark (2).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com