IBERIA — The game got started about 40 minutes late, but the visiting Lady Eagles didn’t seem to mind the extra warm-up time.

Colonel Crawford head coach Sarah Fraser said her club, 7-0 overall, 2-0 in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference, started off well in gaining the 10-1 victory thanks to its pitching performance.

“Lauren (Frietchen) has been very reliable in the circle and, you know, we lean on her,” Fraser said. “Day in and day out she comes in and gets the job done.”

The junior put down the first eight Northmor batters she faced before allowing a walk in the third inning. Frietchen struck out nine and walked two while allowing just three base hits.

Frietchen recorded a 12-7 mark last spring and has been steady this year.

“It was a slow start a little bit with the bats,” Fraser said. “At this point, we are unfortunately used to that. We get started in the fourth inning or so.”

Senior Kaylyn Risner reached on a walk in the first inning before third baseman Harley Thomas’ two-out single drove her in. Thomas scored on a wild pitch after advancing to third.

Northmor falls to 3-3, 0-2 in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference.

“They have a good program. A nice little pitcher does a good job moving the ball around. We didn’t make our adjustments at the plate until the fourth or fifth inning,” coach Matt Wiseman said.

“Then I get a girl thrown out at second trying to steal a base. That’s on me. We started hitting the ball a little bit. We know with the young kids that we’re playing, that we’re going to go through some growing pains. We’re young enough that we can hopefully correct things.”

Crawford scored three in the third and then opened the game up in the sixth inning adding five runs to its 5-1 lead.

Risner’s infield single was followed by Thomas’ two-run double to left. Catcher Nettie Gallant then singled to drive in Alivia Studer and Thomas.

In the sixth the Lady Eagles sent nine batters to the plate. Hanna Perry doubled to left center to open things and scored on an outfield error.

Allison Weithman got an infield single to load the bases and then Risner delivered a three-run double. Thomas laced another double to left to bring in the final run.

Both Risner and Thomas had three RBI and Gallant two.

With 11 returning letter winners and nine starters back, the Lady Eagles boast a veteran club — even though only three are seniors.

“They are very, very key players,” Fraser said. “Yes, our younger girls are starting to come along. They work hard and lean on those upper classmen for leadership and they’re just getting it done as a team.”

The rest of the week features two N10 foes for Colonel Crawford.

“We got Carey (away) tomorrow and Bucyrus on Thursday, then a tough non-league doubleheader with Lexington (Saturday). So, three, actually four, tough games coming up.”

McKenna VanDyke and Madison Simpson had back-to-back singles for Northmor in the fourth inning to account for its lone run. Simpson added another one-bagger in the sixth.

Kate Kissling suffered the loss, striking out five and walking five. The Lady Knights committed four errors with six of CC’s runs unearned.

Wiseman knows his schedule is front-loaded with heavyweights.

“We have these guys, Cardington, Fredericktown, Danville. I mean it’s a meat grinder early and we have to get through it and bounce back,” he said.

Box score

Colonel Crawford     203 005 0       10       8        1

Northmor                     000 100 0          1       3        4

WP: Lauren Frietchen (9 SO, 2 W)

LP: K. Kissling (5 SO, 5 W)

HR: None.

Triples: None.

Doubles: (CC) Hanna Perry, Kaylyn Risner, Harley Thomas.

Multiple hits: (CC) Harley Thomas 3, Kaylyn Risner; (N) M. Simpson.

Records: Colonel Crawford 7-0; Northmor 3-3.

Next: Colonel Crawford at Carey, Wednesday; Northmor at Fredericktown, Wednesday.