GRAHAM — On paper and on the scoreboard, Jim Ned’s 17-6 loss in Game 2 of its Region I-3A Division I finals series against Iowa Park on Saturday didn’t look much different than the 12-2 one the Lady Indians suffered in the series opener on Friday at Hogan Field.
The two games even bore a fair number of similarities in the way they played out and, eventually, got out of hand.
But it was the one key difference that had coach Erica Jones beaming with pride at the end of Saturday’s game, rather than steaming with frustration, as she was the night before.
After allowing 12 unanswered runs to close out a run-rule loss in Game 1, Jim Ned allowed 17 runs in a row after opening Game 2 with an identical 2-0 lead. But this time, the Lady Indians went down fighting, scoring four runs in their final trip to the plate to end what was arguably the best season in Jim Ned softball history in a way more befitting of the team that achieved it.