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Grundy Center softball fought off a cross-NICL challenge from Hudson for a 4-3 victory at the George Wilhelm Sports Complex in Grundy Center on Tuesday.

The Pirates had runners on second and third with one out, but Spartan pitcher Maddy Hendershot got a clutch strikeout followed by a soft liner that Camdyn Aronson snagged at third base as Grundy Center was triumphant in a back-and-forth matchup, improving to 15-6 overall.

Spartan head coach Andy Lebo commended Hendershot on coming in for a tough relief spot after six innings from starter Macey Kiewiet.

“She had to face two of the better hitters in the conference sitting right at the top of the [Hudson] lineup,” Lebo said. “She grinded it out and was able to get that last out here and come out with a big win.”

Hendershot, Grundy Center’s leadoff hitter, added two hits with two runs scored for the Spartans. Grundy Center took the lead for good in the fifth inning when Macey Kiewiet beat out a two-out infield hit to score Evelyn Geerdes and, in the chaos of the bang-bang play at first, Hudson’s defense didn’t see Hendershot streaking around third and coming home for the eventual game-winning run.

Kyndra Dieken added an RBI single with a booming hit off the centerfield wall in the third inning that gave Grundy Center its first lead at 2-1. Dieken was honored before the game as the lone senior for the Spartans.

“We ran the bases well, we bunted a bit, squared the ball up a few times,” Lebo said. “They were able to make some good plays in the outfield at times, and we didn’t get quite the baserunners we’ve had in the past but credit to their pitching for keeping us off base.”

Hudson took the lead in the fourth on a couple of bases-loaded walks against a patient Hudson offense. Eighth-grader Macey Kiewiet struck out nine with three earned runs on four hits and eight walks in six innings of work on Tuesday.

The Spartans were coming off a big NICL West doubleheader in Ackley 24 hours prior, where the girls locked down what is believed to be the first outright NICL softball championship for the program since 1989.

“Two big wins last night,” Lebo said. “Come in tonight, it’s hot, humid, girls are going a thousand different ways. I told them after the game; some nights you have it, some nights you don’t, but you’ve just got to find a way to get it done, and that’s what we did tonight.”