By Scott Moore
Just a year ago, Kourtney Spurgeon was on the wrong end of a Crosstown Clash. Her Norman North squad was beaten by rival Norman High near the end of the season.
Then came a move a little farther south and now she can say she’s a member of the Norman city champions.
Spurgeon had a pair of hits against her old teammates Tuesday and drove in three runs to help NHS claim a 5-3 win over North in the second softball Clash of the season. The win gives the Tigers a season sweep and three-straight victories in the series.
“Last year, I played at Norman North and we lost to Norman High at the end of the year,” Spurgeon said. “This year, I really wanted to win just so I could say I beat them and be city champs.”
Early on, it looked like North would get the split. The T-Wolves led 2-0, getting a two-run single from Vicera Carson in the first inning and carried a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth after getting a tie-breaking double from Ashley Smith in the fourth inning.
They also had a strong effort from K. K. White in the circle. White, still not 100 percent after falling ill last week, finished with nine strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
She allowed just two hits through five innings, but the Tigers finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth.
Sarah Eskew reached first base by beating a throw from short and Tiara Manning moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Spurgeon, who had a two-run single in the third, drove home Eskew with a double to left field to tie the game 3-3.
Two batters later, Tabby Schone placed a ball into shallow right field, that Spurgeon and Breanna Manning to give NHS the lead for good.
“We got behind by swinging at high pitches,” Spurgeon said. “We just had to get focused at the plate. That was the main thing.”
Mary Beth Offenburger retired the final six batters in order. She finished with seven strikeouts, while allowing five hits.
Spurgeon went 2-for-3 with a double, single and a walk and said it’s odd playing against her former teammates.
“I talk to them before the game, but then I have to get refocused,” she said. “I have to view them as my opponents and not my friends.”
Schone went 2-for-3 with a triple and a single as NHS improved to 9-21.
“Two big things: We finally were disciplined at the plate and our pitcher finally started hitting her spots,” NHS coach Tim Gonzales said.
“It’s been frustrating because we’ve had a lot of one-run losses this year.”
One of those one-run losses was to perennial power Edmond Memorial, which NHS led 2-0 going into the seventh inning. The Tigers will play host to Memorial at 6:30 p.m., Thursday.
“We’re really looking forward to that game,” Gonzales said. “We feel like we can play with the Moores and the Edmond Memorials and the Enids. It’s just a matter of getting over the hump.”
For North, it was the tale of the one that got away.
“We played hard,” North coach Beth Freihofer said. “I thought K.K. pitched great, even though she was coming off being sick. And really, that was one of the best hitting nights that we’ve had because we worked the count.
“We were focused, but they got the timely hits and that was the difference.”
Scott Moore366-3535sports@normantranscript.com
