Annabelle Nessa helps Colo-NESCO defeat GMG to open 1A regional softball competition

A little trust went a long way for Colo-NESCO softball pitcher Annabelle Nessa during the Royals' Class 1A Region 5 first-round game against GMG on Friday.

Nessa gave up two quick runs in the top of the first inning. After that she was nearly flawless, leading the Royals to a 4-2 victory at Stan Vigness Field in McCallsburg.

“The key was knowing I had people behind me to help me,” Nessa said. “If anything was hit, I could trust them to make the play and to know where to go with the ball. That really helps me calm down on the mound, knowing I don’t have to do it myself.”

After the top of the first inning Nessa held the Wolverines to just three hits and she recorded six of her seven strikeouts with no walks. She helped avenge a 3-2 loss at GMG June 23.

Nessa was outstanding in defeat during Colo-NESCO's first meeting against GMG. She held the Wolverines to two earned runs on four hits with 13 strikeouts and only one walk.

During the regional first-round game Nessa got stronger as the game went along.

She had a hand in every out during the fifth and sixth innings. Nessa recorded a strikeout and caught two pop-ups in the fifth inning and fielded a grounder, caught another pop fly and finished with a strikeout during the sixth.

Nessa recorded two strikeouts in the top of the seventh inning to help finish off GMG.

Entering regional play Nessa was 6-6 with a 3.96 ERA, 89 strikeouts and 14 walks in 70 2/3 innings. She has taken a huge step forward as a junior after going 1-10 with a 9.23 ERA in 57 2/3 innings as a sophomore.

“It's the confidence of knowing everyone around me believed in me,” Nessa said. “It was knowing that I could do it and having a good catcher behind me (Abigail Hostetler) really helps.”

Nessa also drove in the go-ahead run for Colo-NESCO Friday. She hit a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the first inning to score Jasmine Johannes and give Colo-NESCO a 3-2 lead.

Johannes had just had what turned out to be the biggest hit of the game with a two-run double down the third base line. Johannes missed all of last season due to multiple injuries, so the Royal senior was happy to come up big when her team needed her Friday.

“It’s great to be with the team again,” Johannes said. “Every at-bat I’m not thinking I want to hit a home run for myself ... it’s 'I want to get on base for my coach and I want to get these girls excited.'"

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Colo-NESCO added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Bartmess reached on a bunt to start the Royal half of the inning and she later scored on an RBI single from Hostetler.

“A lot of people stepped up and had some good timely hits and good bunts,” Colo-NESCO coach Candace Sutton said. “We’re really playing well as a team right now.”

Sutton said having just recently played GMG played a role in helping her team get over the top in the rematch.

“We’re really familiar with each other, so we knew what was coming,” Sutton said. “We were able to read that they were going to bunt a little bit more this time. We were ready for that.”

GMG ended its season at 11-14 and Colo-NESCO improved to 11-14. The Royals will face Iowa Star Conference South Division rival and traditional powerhouse Collins-Maxwell (19-6) in the 1A Region 5 quarterfinals July 5 at Collins.

Collins-Maxwell swept Colo-NESCO during the regular season.

“If we have confidence in our at-bats and continue to make good defensive plays then we should be able to stay up there with them,” Nessa said. “But they’re a tough team and we need to be ready for good timing in our at-bats.”

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Annabelle Nessa leads Colo-NESCO softball team past GMG in 1A regionals